WEST HAM UNITED
theyflysohigh : Steve Marsh
FOOTBALL PROGRAMMES &
Collectables through the Decade
A Pictorial History
2025-26 Premier league Under-18 (South)
Manager: Lauris Coggin - Kevin Keen Lead Professional Development Phase Coach
The 2024-25 Under-18 Premier League is the 14th campaign of the top tier of the Under-18 Development League. A total of 26 teams are split regionally into north and south leagues. Teams face their regional opponents both home and away before the top two face each other to determine the national champion. Aston Villa are the defending champions.
SOUTHAMPTON
Staplewood
0 - 2
16 August 2025
Awesu
Perkins
Scanlon
Jonyla (Unwin)
Leacock
Beckford
Morris-Agyemang (Medine)
Dike
Kamara
Chigwada (Kerr)
Balogun (Brooks)
Two first-half goals condemned West Ham United U18s to defeat in their opening U18 Premier League South match.
Southampton opened the scoring through Leo Umeh’s curling 18-yard strike inside 12 minutes, then Korban McMullan doubled the lead on the stroke of half-time, and although substitute Jephthah Medine came close in the second-half, we tasted defeat at Staplewood.
Southampton U18s:
Moloney, Adjei-Afriyie, Vallance, Martin, Sewell, Rohart-Brown (Sainsbury), Umeh (Little), McMullan, Newman (Goremusandu), Rodda (Robinson), Gathercole
BIRMINGHAM CITY
Little Heath
1 - 1 (Beckford 4')
23 August 2025
Awesu
Perkins
Scanlon
Leacock (Montague)
Jonyla
Nwosu (Balogun)
Dike
Unwin
Kerr (Chigwada)
Beckford
Medine (Peychev)
West Ham United U18s were denied a first victory of the 2025/26 U18 Premier League South season after visiting Birmingham City struck an 88th-minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Little Heath Training Ground.
It looked like Lewis Beckford’s goal after just three minutes would be enough to see off the newly-promoted Blues, but Kian McCusker snuck in behind late on to ensure it finished honours even on Saturday afternoon.
Beckford, who was impressive throughout, took his goal well, pouncing on a slip from the away side's goalkeeper before rounding Szymon Terenowicz to tap home.
Birmingham City U18s:
Terenowicz, Thompson-Jones, Biol, Campbell, Ranson, Martin-Moore, Ugorji, Maddox, Nunes-Wickham (Degtiarev), McCusker, Flavell (Rea)
SUNDERLAND : Premier League Cup (Group E)
Academy of Light Training Ground
3 - 1 (Dike 3 (13' pen, 20', 85')
26 August 2025
Hooper
Brooks (Perkins)
Scanlon
Kamara
Leacock
Nwosu (Jonyla)
Kerr
Morris-Agyemang
Chigwada (Medine)
Beckford (Obi)
Dike
West Ham United U18s began the defence of their Premier League Cup crown in confident fashion, securing a 3-1 victory away at Sunderland thanks to an Andre Dike hat-trick.
Dike struck the outside of the post on eleven minutes after latching onto a pinpoint long pass from goalkeeper Finley Hooper, who impressed throughout with his distribution, both long and short. Moments later, Dike’s persistence brought reward. Having danced past defenders inside the penalty area, he was clipped just as he shaped to shoot. The referee pointed to the spot, and the forward calmly converted to give West Ham a deserved lead.
The winger struck again just eight minutes later. Lewis Beckford picked off a loose pass in Sunderland’s defensive third and showed great awareness to slide the ball across to Dike, who finished with ease into an unguarded net. Hooper then had to be alert at the other end, tipping over a fierce strike from Matthew Burns on 25 minutes, before Sunderland halved the deficit ten minutes later. George Bell’s clever pass released Lewis Campbell, who kept his composure under pressure from Leacock to slot beyond Hooper.
The hosts emerged with greater purpose after the break and came close to an equaliser when Joseph Nield’s dangerous cross was deflected against his own post by Leacock.
In the 76th minute. Sunderland worked a neat move that forced Hooper into a sharp save from Alex Lienard, and just when the match threatened to tilt, West Ham delivered the knockout blow. Chukwuemeka Obi latched onto Joe Scanlon's long throw, hooking a perfect cross towards the back post for Dike to nod home from close range, completing his hat-trick an hour after scoring his second. Lauris Coggin’s side then managed the final stages confidently, closing out the contest to claim three valuable group-stage points and a winning start to their title defence.
Sunderland U18s:
Cowan, Bell, Hester, Burns (Lienard), Forsyth, Nield, Scott, Struk (Matadeen), Campbell, Proctor, Dinsdale
LEICESTER CITY
Leicester City Training Ground
1 - 3 (Dike 53')
30 August 2025
Awesu
Perkins
Scanlon (Obi)
Jonyla (Montague)
Leacock
Morris
Dike
Kamara
Kerr
Beckford (Peychev)
Medine (Unwin)
West Ham United U18s were beaten by Leicester City in U18 despite producing a strong performance in the East Midlands. The Hammers enjoyed more possession, out-shot and had five times as many corners as their hosts – 15 to three – but the Foxes were more clinical in clinching a 3-1 home win. Leicester had just four shots on target at their LCFC Training Ground, but three of them found the Irons’ net.
Against the run of play, captain Lorenz Hutchinson put the home side in front on 14 minutes, tapping home Riley Carr’s cross after the winger had advanced into the West Ham penalty area.
Despite looking the more dangerous side, West Ham fell further behind eight minutes before half-time. Joe Corden capitalised on a misplaced pass from goalkeeper Lanre Awesu and calmly finished.
The visitors showed great spirit after the interval and almost halved the deficit soon after the restart. Lewis Beckford stole possession inside the Leicester box and despite beating goalkeeper Freddie Marson with his effort, Adedeji was once again on hand to clear the danger, clearing off the line.
The pressure eventually told in the 53rd minute. Callum Leacock’s disguised pass found Aaron Kamara, who cleverly flicked the ball on to Scanlon. Breaking into the penalty area, the midfielder squared across goal, with Beckford and Kerr drawing defenders away to allow Andre Dike to apply the perfect first-time finish, his fourth goal in two games. But once again, against the run of play, Leicester re-established their two-goal cushion when Bismarck Owusu drilled low inside the near post
Leicester City U18s:
Marson, Aideed, Toko, Adedeji (Dignum), Daniels (Fletcher), Lisle, Lawrence, Carr, Corden (Jacklin), Owusu, Hutchinson (Manyumba)
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Little Heath
0 - 5
13 September 2025
Awesu
Perkins
Scanlon (Jonyla)
Kamara
Leacock
Unwin (Montague)
DikeMorris (Peychev)
Obi
Beckford
Medine (Kerr)
West Ham United U18s fell to defeat at Little Heath with Tottenham Hotspur taking their chances to claim a 5-0 victory in U18 Premier League South.
Despite matching their opponents in possession and attempts on goal, our young Hammers were on the wrong end of a harsh scoreline and slipped to consecutive league defeats.
Spurs carved out the first opening inside the opening five minutes when Armend Muslika was played in behind the Hammers’ back line, though he dragged his effort wide of Lanre Awesu’s goal.
The early exchanges developed into a physical contest with clear sights of goal at a premium. Midway through the first half, Miracle Adewole, lively down the left with his pace and trickery, almost found a way through, only for Callum Leacock to produce a crucial last-ditch tackle to deny the Spurs winger.
The visitors did eventually make the breakthrough when they beat the offside trap, creating a three-on-one situation. Muslika was set up inside the area and finished calmly beyond Awesu. Spurs doubled their lead on 36 minutes with a cleverly-worked free-kick. Taken quickly down the left to Adewole, he cut the ball back for Oliver Boast, who swept home a tidy first-time finish. Just moments later, Boast added his second. Goalkeeper Blake Irow launched a long kick forward, and with numbers in attack, Spurs worked it well for Oscar Sandiford to slide in Boast, who finished clinically once again.
West Ham almost reduced the deficit before the break when Jephthah Medine’s cross skipped past Lewis Beckford and fell to Andre Dike, who couldn’t quite connect cleanly. Aaron Kamara also went close, driving through the centre before seeing his shot deflected over the bar.
Five minutes into the second half, Kamara was again at the heart of West Ham’s attacking play. Having been pushed into midfield after the introduction of Harry Montague, he surged forward and played in Dike, who was denied at the last by Elijah Upson just as he shaped to shoot one-on-one with Irow.
With five minutes remaining, Muslika capitalised on a loose pass from goalkeeper Awesu to extend Tottenham’s advantage. Lauris Coggin’s side continued to battle until the final whistle, with Chukwuemeka Obi going close late on, but in stoppage time Frankie Day added a fifth for the visitors to round off the scoring.
Tottenham Hotspur U18s:
Irow, Sandiford (Byrne), Thomas, Tingey, Upson, Moncur (Salter), Myrtaj, Feeney (Wellspring), Boast (Day), Muslika, Adewole
FULHAM
Little Heath
2 - 1 (Kerr 32', Obi 41')
20 September 2025
Hooper
Perkins
Scanlon (Jonyla)
Montague
Leacock
Morris-Agyemang
Kerr (Peychev)
Kamara
Obi (Unwin)
Beckford (Medine Jep)
Dike
West Ham United U18s secured a first U18 Premier League South victory of the 2025/26 season with a 2-1 home victory over Fulham. First-half goals from forwards Joel Kerr and Chuk Obi saw Lauris Coggin’s side secure deserved derby honours at Little Heath.
The game started with Fulham having their only goal attempt of the first half, which Bashil Lubega fired wide, before Whites winger Harley Platel was booked for a foul on goalkeeper Finley Hooper. From then on, West Ham dominated, with Obi and Kerr having shots blocked and Aaron Kamara hitting one effort over the crossbar and a second wide of the post in quick succession.
The deadlock was broken on 32 minutes by Northern Ireland U17 international Kerr, who converted a pass from Joe Scanlon. The hosts doubled their lead on 41 minutes when Andre Dike set up Obi, who scored with a low shot into the bottom left-hand corner.
West Ham’s domination continued early in the second half as Callum Leacock and Dike sent shots wide, and the Irons’ failure to make the game safe almost came back to haunt them when substitute Anand Batra pulled a goal back on 68 minutes with Fulham’s first shot on target. Coggin’s team saw the game out comfortably, though, restricting Fulham to only one further goal attempt when Alfie White’s shot was blocked. Substitute Jephthan Medine missed a chance to add a third in added-time but West Ham had done enough and a first success of the campaign saw the U18s rise four places to tenth in the 15-team table.
Fulham U18s:
Mayer, Benchaita, Cooke, Gomins, Schutter, Kondau-Wall (Khan), White, Cavell (Sessegnon), Evans, Platel, Lubega (Batra)
READING
Bearwood Park
1 - 2 (Obi 73')
27 September 2025
Awesu
Perkins (Omotoye)
Scanlon (Unwin)
Montague
Leacock
Morris-Agyemang
Dike (Medine)
Kamara
Obi
Peychev (Beckford)
Kerr
In the first meeting between the sides since last season’s Premier League Cup final, where Lauris Coggins’ side lifted the trophy with a 2-1 victory, our young Hammers fell to a narrow 2-1 defeat at Bearwood Park Training Ground as a late goal from Raguel Jubilee-Ntege cancelled out Chuk Obi's second-half leveller. The early exchanges saw both sides engage in physical battle, with plenty of half-chances for both sides, as West Ham enjoyed early spells of possession.
The home side began to dominate the ball, with their quick forwards repeatedly trying to get in behind. However, the Hammers’ defence stood firm, with Callum Leacock and Harry Montague winning numerous duels. The first big chance came in the 23rd minute as Obi pressed the Reading defence, won the ball back, and drove into the box. His low effort was saved, but it gave the Hammers confidence.
Then in the 38th minute, Martin Peychev did brilliantly to dribble into the box and evade several Reading challenges and set up Obi with another opportunity, but he was unable to get enough power on his attempt. Minutes later, the deadlock was broken, but for the home side, as Larry Omoregie led a counterattack and played it back to Rabbi Ntege, whose deflected strike looped past Lanre Awesu.
The second-half saw many changes from both teams, and the first chance once again dropped to West Ham after Jephthah Medine, who came on for Andre Dike, who made his U21s debut on Friday against Brighton & Hove Albion, found space down the left flank and delivered a cross to Peychev in the box, but his effort was blocked.
But the Hammers would equalise with 20 minutes to go as Medine got down the left wing, and his cross was cleared into the path of Obi, who volleyed home emphatically. West Ham continued to apply pressure, and thought they had gone ahead when Aaron Kamara converted Medine’s cut-back, only for the goal to be ruled offside. Despite the home side’s pace on the break, a fantastic recovery tackle from Leacock in the 80th minute denied Ntege from getting into the box, showing once again the resilience of the defence. However, with minutes to go, it was heartbreak for our young Hammers as Ntege hit a long-range effort from outside the box, going in off the crossbar.
Reading U18s:
Chambers-Borgnis, Zie, St. Louis, Booth, Dove, Richard-Irish, Rabbi Ntege, Beacroft (Martin-Grant), Omoregie (Hunte) Fuller-Thompson (Covus), Jubilee-Ntege
NOTTINGHAM FOREST : Premier League Cup (Group E)
Little Heath
2 - 1 (Kerr 13', 22')
4 October 2025
Hooper
Perkins
Scanlon
Jonyla
Leacock
Unwin (Peychev)
Dike
Kamara (Morris-Agyemang)
Kerr (Obi)
Beckford
Medine Jep (Onyeka-Fokujwu)
West Ham United U18s continued their perfect record in their defence of the Premier League Cup title with Joel Kerr’s first-half brace helping his side stay top of the ranks going into the final group game. The first chance of the match fell to Dike, who burst down the right flank in a brilliant solo run. His effort was saved, but it immediately highlighted the threat the side posed down the wings.
It didn’t take long for our young Hammers to open the scoring. Kerr, operating as a striker, pressed the defence to win the ball back and calmly slotted it into the net, giving his side a well-deserved lead after just 13 minutes. However, the home side suffered a setback shortly after, as Aaron Kamara was forced off the pitch after 20 minutes through injury, with Reggie Morris slotting into midfield to replace him. Despite this, Lauris Coggin’s men continued to showcase their attacking prowess. After 22 minutes, they extended their advantage. A brilliant cross from Vinnie Perkins fell to Jephthah Medine, whose shot was blocked off the line, only for Kerr to react quickest and poke the ball home for his second goal of the game. Before half-time, the home side continued to dominate. Dike once again demonstrated his excellent wing play, chasing a long ball down the right before finding Morris. His incisive pass fell to Jonathan Unwin, but his effort struck the post.
The early exchanges in the second half saw both teams applying pressure, but West Ham’s defenders remained composed, winning multiple duels and headers to prevent Forest from breaking on the counter-attack. However, after 70 minutes, the home side were dealt another blow when captain Callum Leacock was shown a red card for a late off-the-ball challenge, leaving our young Hammers to see out the game with ten men. The away side then increased the pressure following the red card, as Frank Djamma was played through on goal after a slick move through midfield. His effort went over the bar, serving as a warning for the home side.
West Ham continued to push for another goal despite being a man down. Lewis Beckford came close to extending the lead when a clearance from a corner fell to him on the half-volley, but his effort drifted just wide. With eight minutes remaining, Nottingham Forest made the most of the extra man as Basima Balagizi kept his balance and played Shakur Samuels through on goal. He placed his shot into the bottom corner to pull one back, setting up a tense final few minutes.
Nottingham Forest U18s:
Grainger, Sanneh, Andrews, Russell (Samuels), Broomes, Davies, Lokote (Balagizi), Djamma, Hamilton, Robinson, Sutton
ASTON VILLA
Little Heath
2 - 1 (Beckford 37', Dike 64')
18 October 2025
Hooper
Perkins
Scanlon (Jonyla)
Fejokwu
Montague
Morris-Agyemang
Dike
Unwin (Peychev)
Obi (Omotoye)
Beckford
Kerr
West Ham United U18s returned to league action with a win by defeating last season’s U18 Premier League champions Aston Villa thanks to goals from Lewis Beckford and Andre Dike. The first chance of the game fell to West Ham after some excellent build-up play from the back, with Finley Hooper breaking the lines. The ball progressed down the left flank and eventually found Beckford, who set up Dike, but his low shot from inside the box was well saved.
After 13 minutes, the home side continued to show our attacking intent. Joel Kerr caused problems down the left wing, driving into the box with purpose, but his shot was blocked. Aston Villa’s first major opportunity came through Cole Ramsey, brother of Jacob and Aaron Ramsey, who broke down the left with some tricky footwork, but his shot was comfortably saved by Hooper.
Lauris Coggin’s side kept the pressure on, with Kerr proving to be a constant outlet. After a quick Villa free-kick was intercepted by Jonathan Unwin, only for his effort to be blocked once more. It felt only a matter of time before the home side found the breakthrough, and after 37 minutes we did exactly that, once again attacking down the left. Joe Scanlon, who had been drifting into midfield throughout, drove to the byline on this occasion and picked out Beckford. He showed great composure in the box to slot home and make it 1-0.
The early stages of the second half saw Aston Villa apply pressure, trying to get in behind the defence, but the young Hammers stood firm and defended resolutely, catching their forwards offside numerous times. The pressure finally told as West Ham doubled our lead after 64 minutes with a moment of brilliance from Dike. Beckford turned provider, carrying the ball down the right and finding Dike, who cut inside onto his left foot before curling a stunning effort into the top corner.
After several substitutions to refresh the team, Tyrone Omotoye almost made an instant impact when Kerr’s hold-up play found him inside the box, but his effort was saved by the Villa goalkeeper. U16s centre-back Emmanuel Onyeka-Fejokwu also came close to adding a third on his first start for the U18s, meeting Dike’s low cross, but his shot drifted over the bar. With only minutes remaining, Villa pulled one back after a long ball was missed by Hooper, allowing substitute Heaven Kilwa to score into an empty net.
Kilwa had one final chance in stoppage time after cutting inside the box, but his effort went wide, sealing a hard-fought and impressive three points for the young Hammers, and a third home win in a row in all competitions.
Aston Villa U18s:
Oakley, Atkins (Pinell), Bernard, Addey, Wilson, Melhuish (Green), Hayward, Boyd, Adediran (Lloyd), Ramsey (Kilwa), Bindey
IPSWICH TOWN
Playford Road
8 - 2 (Thomas 6', 18', 85', 90+2', Dike 11', 60', Medine 48', Boakye-King 50' [og])
1 November 2025
Hooper
Perkins
Scanlon
Thomas
Smith
Morris-Agyemang (Peychev)
Dike (Longman)
Unwin
Obi (Brooks)
Beckford
Medine (Omotoye)
West Ham United U18s made it three consecutive victories in all competitions with a stunning 8-2 win over Ipswich Town, with U16 starlet Isaac Thomas enjoying a dream debut at U18 level by scoring four goals, Andre Dike netting a brace and Jephthah Medine also etching his name on the scoresheet. Within the first six minutes, West Ham’s early possession paid off as they took the lead through Thomas, who got off the mark in style by heading in Medine’s pinpoint free-kick delivery.
Lauris Coggin’s side continued to dominate as Medine led a swift counter-attack just minutes later, turning away from his marker and setting up Dike, whose low shot whistled just wide after cutting inside onto his left foot. Then, in the eleventh minute, Dike produced another moment of brilliance when he curled a superb effort into the top corner to make it 2-0, successfully following up his spectacular strike against Aston Villa last time out.
The young Hammers were relentless in the early stages, and another perfectly executed set-piece saw Thomas rise highest again to head home his second goal, extending the lead to 3-0 after just 18 minutes. The home side eventually found their rhythm and threatened a response. Benjamin Buskell struck on the volley after a cross into the box, but Finley Hooper reacted sharply, saving with his feet. Just before half-time, Ipswich pulled two goals back, reducing the deficit to just one goal in quick succession. Indiana Pedder capitalised on a loose touch from Hooper to score into an empty net, before turning in Buskell’s cross moments later to make it 3-2 and give the hosts hope of a potential comeback.
After the interval though, West Ham quickly regained control, and just three minutes into the second half Medine restored the two-goal cushion when Lewis Beckford’s cross caused chaos in the box, and the winger bundled the ball over the line to make it 4-2. Two minutes later, the Hammers continued to use their threatening set-pieces to their advantage, after another dangerous delivery forced Isaac Boakye-King to turn the ball into his own net, extending the lead to 5-2.
Beckford’s relentless pressing forced an error from Joshua Bentley in goal, which almost let Brooks in. Then, the Ipswich defenders failed to clear the ball after more good work from Beckford, with the ball this time falling kindly to Dike, who tapped in his second of the game to make it 6-2. Things went from bad to worse for Ipswich when their captain, Charlie Wood, was shown a second yellow card for a late challenge and was sent-off in the 76th minute.
Despite the significant scoreline, the visitors refused to stop their attacking dominance, and they almost added another when substitute Martin Peychev was denied on the line by the goalkeeper following another dangerous set-piece. In the 85th minute, Thomas completed his hat-trick, once again losing his marker inside the box and heading home powerfully from close range from a corner. Then, in stoppage time, the U16 rounded off a dream debut with his fourth goal of the game, turning in Joe Scanlon’s cross after a clever one-two with Longman, sealing an emphatic 8-2 victory.
Ipswich Town U18s:
Bentley, Barry, Ologho, Brown (Olawole), Wilkinson (Enkotosia), Boakye-King, Buskell, Wood, Ladegbaye, Eze (Adebayo), Pedder
CRYSTAL PALACE
Little Heath
3 - 2 (Obi 53', Leacok 74', Dike 90+6')
8 November 2025
Hooper
Perkins
Scanlon
Fejokwu (Jonyla)
Leacock
Morris-Agyemang (Thomas)
Dike
Brooks (Unwin)
Obi (Kerr)
Beckford
Medine
West Ham United U18s made it four wins on the spin with a dramatic 3-2 victory over league leaders Crystal Palace, coming from behind twice before Andre Dike’s stoppage-time strike sealed the points. Captain Callum Leacock and Chuk Obi also netted in a pulsating five-goal clash.
Palace arrived top of the table with 18 points from nine games, but West Ham’s confidence from three straight wins was evident. Obi threatened early, and Finley Hooper produced a superb save to deny Mylo Bernard after a defensive slip. Obi remained lively, hitting the post and testing the keeper again before Palace struck first in the 32nd minute through Jacob Fasida’s low finish from a corner.
After the break, West Ham pressed hard. Obi linked with Medine and Beckford to level calmly on 52 minutes. Palace hit back on the counter, David Montjen squeezing a shot in off the post. Undeterred, the Hammers pushed on. Obi went close again before Leacock slid in to equalise from another Medine delivery. Medine nearly added a third, but his effort was cleared off the line.
Palace threatened late, but West Ham held firm. Then, in the 96th minute, Dike danced through defenders and rifled home the winner — his eighth of the season — sparking jubilant celebrations and a statement win.
Crystal Palace U18s:
Whitworth, Muwana, Fasida, Walker-Smith, Somade, Okoli, Oduro (Lamidi), Danaher (Bonsu-Amako), Bernard-Ferguson, Bernard (Martin) Montjen
IPSWICH TOWN : Premier League Cup (Group E)
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