Two years on from West Ham United’s thrilling FA Youth Cup triumph, the likes of Callum Marshall, Gideon Kodua, Patrick Kelly and Ollie Scarles are making progress in their attempts to establish themselves in the men’s game.
Marshall seized his chance to impress Graham Potter after returning from a superb loan spell at Huddersfield Town. A terrific solo goal against Grasshopper Zurich in Switzerland the obvious highlight, while some wonder if West Ham may have found their own Jamie Vardy in the fearless, hard-running attacker.
Gideon Kodua is back in the capable hands of Matt Bloomfield. The manager who took the West Ham’s former youth team captain to Wycombe Wanderers is now predicting that the Luton Town faithful will ‘love’ their new winger.
Patrick Kelly has made a fine impression at Barnsley, while Ollie Scarles followed in the footsteps of Declan Rice and co by claiming West Ham United’s Young Player of the Year award in May.
As for Regan Clayton, who knows where he would be if not for the serious knee injury which kept the talented left-back out of action for nearly a year?
Regan Clayton labelled West Ham United’s ‘One to Watch’ for 2025/26
Alongside Scarles, Kodua, Marshall and co, Clayton started as West Ham thrashed London rivals Arsenal 5-1 in that FA Youth Cup final. The first time they lifted that prestigious academy trophy since the days of Michael Carrick and Joe Cole in 1999.
But while many members of the Hammers’ newest generation have made sustained progress in the last couple of seasons, Regan Clayton is a youngster desperate to make up for lost time and hoping to get his career back on the right track.
The knee issue which kept him on the sidelines for nine months has finally been overcome. And, returning to his parent club after an eleven-game loan spell at non-league Dagenham and Redbridge in the second half of last term, this feels like a big season for Clayton as he reunites with Under-21 boss Mark Robson.
West Ham’s Under-21s kick off the new campaign against Woking in Wednesday night’s National League Cup clash.
And, in a preview posted on their official website, the Hammers have identified a returning, revitalised Clayton as Robson’s ‘One to Watch’ for the new campaign.
“Regan Clayton is an aggressive, tactically astute wing-back with a strong reading of the game,” they write, the 20-year-old a candidate to captain the side against Woking after wearing the armband in pre-season.
“As one of the more senior members of the U21s squad, Clayton will have a point to prove in the National League Cup if given the nod in the starting XI on Wednesday evening.”
You can say that again.
Clayton models his game on Bayern Munich superstar Alphonso Davies
Clayton, who idolises Bayern Munich’s speed-machine southpaw Alphonso Davies, admitted himself that he is desperate to rediscover the confidence of his pre-injury, Youth Cup-winning days.
“I was feeling unstoppable. I was thinking; ‘this is my year, I’m going to push now’,” Clayton told the West Ham website shortly before joining Dagenham and Redbridge on a short-term deal.
“I had gone in for a 50-50 and my knee just went. I knew straight away because the pain was out of this world. Rehab has been tough, but the physios, the strength and conditioning team, and everyone at the club have been brilliant. I’ve worked hard for nine months, and now I’m feeling ready.
“I can’t wait to push on again.”
Clayton has seven assists in 42 Premier League 2 appearances. An impressive return, and one which demonstrates that Alphonso Davies-like penchant for fearsome bursts down the left-hand flank.
The aforementioned Mark Robson was so excited by Regan Clayton’s potential that he fast-tracked the full-back into the Under-21 squad when he was only 17 years of age.
Interestingly, with first-team boss Graham Potter committed to a wing-back system, Clayton feels particularly well-suited to a place in the senior set-up, even if he does have Scarles and new £19 million signing El Hadji Malick Diouf to overcome.
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