How Charlton Athletic cracked the academy code to produce a pipeline of world-class talent: Homegrown stars instead of loanees, the crucial role that fans played and the 'mastermind' behind it all

Jim Rodwell couldn’t have been clearer.

’I think Nathan Jones and myself have spoken about this previously, but we are not huge fans of the loan market to be honest with you,’ Charlton’s managing director said in mid-August. ‘We have a flourishing academy. We have excellent players there.

‘If we have a vacancy in the team, I’d rather Ibby Fullah, Alan Mwamba, Henry Rylah or Josh Laqeretabua be used.

‘That isn't to say we wouldn't do it, but we have got to be very careful when we do things like that, that we don't block pathways. Or what is the point of spending a lot of money on the academy to develop players?’

In a nutshell, Rodwell’s words summed up the culture, environment and attitude developed over the years at Charlton, a club with one of the best academies in the EFL.

And who can blame him? After dropping out of the top flight in 2007, the Addicks have produced six England internationals and numerous Premier League stars, not to mention the core of last season’s promotion-winning team.

Ademola Lookman, Ezri Konsa, Joe Gomez, and Jonjo Shelvey are among those to follow that well-trodden path while graduates Miles Leaburn, Tyreece Campbell, Ashley Maynard-Brewer and Karoy Anderson all played a significant role in 2024-25 as Charlton returned to the Championship after five years away.

In fact, academy products accounted for a fifth of Charlton’s total minutes, and while the loan market is sometimes dipped into - as was the case with the deadline-day signing of Southampton full back James Bree - it remains a rarity and is only done when gaps cannot otherwise be filled internally.

So what's the secret? 'You'll have to ask Steve Avory,' Leaburn, 21, tells Daily Mail Sport, referring to the long-serving academy guru in south east London. Avory stepped down from a full-time role last September after almost 25 years of service, but remains with the club as an adviser.

‘He’s the mastermind. He's done it over however many years he’s been here. I don't know why that is. This club just creates and produces talent.’

Leaburn scored 10 goals in all competitions last season, and his four strikes and two assists in December saw him win the League One and EFL Young Player of the Month awards during a run that kickstarted the Addicks’ promotion push.

With 31 goals in 96 matches, the striker will soon become the 15th Charlton academy graduate to pass 100 appearances for the first team.

‘They’ve always had that pathway,’ says Leaburn, who joined Charlton at Under 16s level after being released by Chelsea despite attracting interest from as many as 24 clubs. ‘I used to go to some of the games when I was younger and see the likes of Ademola, Ezri and the chances they were given.

‘It was always in the back of my mind that if I ever got released from Chelsea, there was one place I'd want to go.’

Keenan Gough and Ollie Hobden were the latest graduates to debut, and that production line has been particularly important at not only supporting the first team but also bringing in funds to the club.

Lookman, a Ballon d'Or nominee in 2024 after scoring a hat-trick in the Europa League final to win the trophy for Atalanta, was sold for an initial £7.5million plus add-ons to Everton in 2017. Konsa went for £2.5m to Brentford a year later, while Gomez and Shelvey added a combined £5m from Liverpool. All hugely important for a club that had dropped from the Premier League to League One in the late 2000s.

Leaburn’s own journey has been impressive despite facing injury setbacks, with the 21-year-old scoring on his debut as an 18-year-old in July 2022 - and individual accolades were accompanied by promotion last season.

‘Seeing us get promoted having come through the academy was amazing,’ adds Leaburn, who has been watched by Premier League clubs. ‘Especially given that in my first two years we were midtable or below.’

Leaburn is speaking as part of the EFL’s Youth Development Week - an opportunity to celebrate young players who have come through EFL Academies and been given a chance at first-team level. An impressive 14 academy graduates played for Charlton last season and Leaburn explained the subsequent benefits that brings.

‘It's really good,’ he adds. ‘I’ve played with many of them for the last five years and previously I came up against them when I was at Chelsea. A few of them I even went to school with, so it’s like playing with friends, which is everyone’s dream.’

When looking back on his development, Leaburn credits the quality of coaching as crucial, alongside the faith of those involved in the academy.

‘When I joined, I was a very different player to what I am now,’ adds the 6ft 4in striker. ‘I wasn't fast, I wasn't moving as much and I was more of a hold-up striker.

‘Steve (Avory) said to me, “We're going to be patient with you, because we know the player you can be”. And it was only towards the end of March in my Under-18 year when I started to push on properly.

‘It’s a very encouraging club and the lads create a welcoming environment for young players.’

Charlton’s academy is boosted by the unique presence of Valley Gold, a supporter-funded organisation focused on helping the youth system thrive.

Originally launched in 1989, its aim was to return the club to The Valley after they left their home stadium due to financial issues. This was achieved three years later and the attention then turned to supporting the development of local talent.

Fans can become members for £120 a year and Valley Gold helps contribute to the running costs of the academy, which are estimated to be £1.6m annually.

A major achievement came in 2009 when it ensured the academy stayed afloat amid off-pitch issues, and its next aim is to help the youth system become Category One, the highest level. Achieving that goal would bring numerous benefits, including making it easier to recruit and retain the best youth talent.

But having a great academy is no good if the manager doesn’t buy in, something successive Charlton bosses - including the incumbent, Jones - have done.

‘He’s very good,’ Leaburn adds. ‘He’s encouraging for the young lads and helpful in terms of position-specific stuff as well.

‘And you can see in his first full season, he transformed the whole club and got us promoted. It’s been very special to be able to work with him.’

The Leaburn name is synonymous with Charlton, with Miles’ father Carl a cult hero among Addicks’ fans after playing 344 times for the club over an 11-year spell. His mother Tracey, meanwhile, last month left her role as head of men’s first-team player care following more than a decade of service.

Leaburn, who insists the family name has ‘never weighed’ on him, is full of praise for their roles in his journey and enjoys a great relationship with Charlton fans.

The 21-year-old penned a new three-year deal this summer, after which Jones hailed his ‘big future’ - and he has helped the Addicks start their Championship return positively, picking up five points in five games.

And, having scored once so far in 2025-26, Leaburn has big ambitions both personally and collectively.

‘It’s been a good start and we’ve had some good performances,’ he concludes. ‘Personally I want to be consistent, stay fit and score as much as possible.

‘I have full belief in the squad. We beat Watford and were unfortunate not to beat Leicester, who are two former Premier League clubs - we showed we can compete with the big teams in the league.

‘We’re not just here to try and survive, as they say, we’re here to push on.’

Good to see you again, Chris!

Chris Wilder’s return to Sheffield United for a third spell this week, just months after leaving the club, brought back memories of some other coaches’ iconic relationships with EFL clubs.

Darren Ferguson is almost three years into his fourth spell with Peterborough, while Graham Westley had four stints at Stevenage.

Martin Allen’s five separate tenures at Barnet was particularly impressive, but no one can quite beat John Sheridan and the six occasions he found himself as manager of Oldham.

Holloway’s magic touch

When Ian Holloway returned to management with Swindon last October following a four-year break from the game, the charismatic 62-year-old was written off by many.

Things didn’t start well, with Holloway picking up just five points in his first seven league games, while the former Blackpool boss even clashed with a fan after one defeat and put their poor run down to the training ground being ‘haunted’.

Yet, after that tricky introduction, Holloway has transformed the Robins over recent months.

Starting with a 2-0 victory at home to Barrow on January 18, his side have picked up 55 points in their last 28 matches and they now sit top of League Two.