FRANK LAMPARD (Chelsea) attended Brentwood School and played in the1993-94 Boodle & Dunthorne ISFA Cup, when his school were defeated in a semi-final penalty shoot-out by eventual champions King’s School, Chester. He also played for the ISFA Under-16 representative team in 1993-94. Frank left school at 16 to sign a professional contract with West Ham United. He made his league debut whilst on loan to Swansea City in 1995 but made his Premiership debut for the Hammers in 1996, subsequently becoming captain of the England Under-21 team and making his full England debut against Belgium in October 2000. In 2001 he was transferred to Chelsea for £11 million. His subsequent career has flourished as he has progressed to becoming one of the country’s top players. He won Barclays Premiership winners medals in 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2009-10, FA Cup Winners medals in 2006-07, 2008-09 (scoring the winning goal) and 2009-10 and Carling Cup winners medals in 2004-05 and 2006-07. In May 2008 he became the first independent schoolboy to play in the UEFA Champions League Final when he played and scored for Chelsea against Manchester United in Moscow. For England he played in EURO 2004 in Portugal and both the 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cups. By the summer of 2010 he had won 82 caps (20 goals). Other honours include the Football Writers Association Footballer of the Year Award in 2005, runner-up to Ronaldinho as European Footballer of the Year in 2005, runner-up again to Ronaldinho, in the 2005 FIFA World Player of the Year Awards and, in 2007-08, he was voted UEFA's 2007-08 Midfield Player of the Year.



NEDUM ONUOHA (Manchester City, currently on loan at Sunderland) attended Hulme Grammar School (Oldham) and progressed through the youth ranks at Manchester City before making his debut in a Carling Cup match against Arsenal in 2004. He became a regular first choice pick at right-back for City during the first half of the 2005-06 season but his appearances since then have been limited through injury. Nedum has been capped for England at both Under-20 and Under-21 levels and represented England in the Finals of the UEFA Under-21 European Championships in 2007 and 2009.  In August 2010 Nedum joined Sunderland on a one year loan.

VICTOR MOSES (Wigan Athletic) was born in Nigeria but moved to England at the age of 11 after his parents were murdered. He attended Whitfift School where he was a member fo their side that won the ESFA U14 Schools Cup in 2005. At the same time he was a member of the Crystal Palace Academy. He has played for England at U16, U17 and U19 levels and broke into the Palace First Team during Season 2007-08. Following 69 appearances and 11 goals for Palace, he was transferred to Premier League Wigan Athletic in January 2010.



JAMES BEATTIE (Rangers) was a pupil at QEGS Blackburn and played for the ISFA Under-16 and North Under-18 teams in Season 1993-94. He progressed through the youth section of Blackburn Rovers to make his Premiership debut against Arsenal in 1996. In 1998 he was transferred to Southampton for £1 million and his career made rapid strides on the south coast where he became a prolific goalscorer, appeared in the 2003 F.A. Cup Final and won 5 England caps before he returned north to Everton in 2005. James joined Sheffield United in summer 2007 and, after 18 successful months at Bramall Lane, he returned to the Premier League in January 2009 when he joined Stoke City, playing a key role in their successful fight against relegation. In August 2010, James moved to Scotland, signing for Rangers. 

FRASER FORSTER (Newcastle United, currently on loan at Celtic) is a former pupil of RGS Newcastle who also played for the ISFA U16 representative team. He made his debut for Stockport in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy tie against Bury in October 2008 and made 5 league appearances. At the start of the 2009-10 season, he spent two months on load at Bristol Rovers, following which he agreed a further loan deal with Norwich City where he became the regular first choice keeper in the team that won the League One Championship.  In August 2010, he signed for Celtic on a year long loan.

 

CHRIS PORTER (Derby County) has proved that it is possible to make a career in football after staying at school until 18 to complete ‘A’ levels. He studied at QEGS Blackburn for whom he scored the winning goal against Brentwood School in the 2001 Boodle & Dunthorne ISFA Cup Final. He then joined Bury for whom he enjoyed two seasons as a first team regular before joining Oldham Athletic in 2005. He finished as one of the leading goalscorers in League One during Season 2006-07 and in July 2007 he joined Motherwell in the Scottish Premier League. scoring against both Celtic and Rangers and finishing as his club's top scorer in his first season. In January 2009, Chris became Nigel Clough's first signing for Derby County



NEIL MELLOR (Preston North End, currently on loan to Sheffield Wednesday) is a former pupil of St. Bede’s College in Manchester. He is also a product of the Liverpool Academy, progressing to making his Liverpool First Team debut in 2002-03. His best spell at Anfield came in season 2004-05 when, in a matter of just a few weeks, he scored two goals in a defeat of Middlesbrough in the Carling Cup, scored a last minute winner in front of the Kop against Arsenal in a league match and then came on as substitute in the UEFA Champions League to score himself and then set up a crucial and outstanding winner for Steven Gerrard against Olympiacos in the season that Liverpool went on to become European Champions. He also had also two spells on loan, to West Ham and Wigan Athletic, but both marred by lengthy spells out with injury. He joined Preston North End in August 2006 and became a popular figure with the crowd before losing his place when manager Alan Irvine left the club. In July, he rejoined Irvine when he moved on a season long loan to Sheffield Wednesday.



NEIL HARRIS (Millwall) is a former pupil at Brentwood School. Between 1997 and 2005 he became something of a hero at Millwall. Regularly their leading goalscorer, he fought a successful battle to overcome testicular cancer in 2001 to become the club’s all-time joint record goalscorer (along with Teddy Sheringham) and to play in the 2004 F.A.Cup Final against Manchester United. He joined Nottingham Forest in 2004 but failed to recapture his old form in a two and a half year stay, during which he spent season 2005-06 on loan at Gillingham. In January 2007 he rejoined Millwall and in January 13, 2009 he scored his 112th goal for Millwall, breaking Teddy Sheringham's alltime goalscoring record for the club. He played in the 2009 and 2010 League One Play-Off Finals at Wembley, with Millwall clinching promotion on the latter occasion.



ANDREW FRAMPTON (Millwall) played for Lancing College in the 1997 Boodle & Dunthorne ISFA Cup Final, his side defeating Bolton School 2-1. On leaving school he joined Crystal Palace for whom he made occasional appearances between 1998 And 2003 before joining Brentford following a loan spell.. He became and was vice-captain in the 2006-07 season but joined Millwall in June 2007. He has been a regular in the Millwall side since then and played at Wembley in the 2009 and 2010 League One Play-Off Final., winning promotion on the latter occasion.



BRETT PITMAN (Bristol City) attended Victoria College, Jersey, and made a name for himself in the Channel Islands, representing the island in the Island Games and attending trials with Manchester United. At 16 he signed for Bournemouth and made his debut in the 2005-06 season. He became a First Team regular at Dean Court, scoring 59 goals in 173 appearances, culminating in the club's promotion to League One at the end of the 2009-10 season.  In August 2010 he was signed by Bristol City.

JOSH WRIGHT (Scunthorpe United) was a pupil at Chigwell School before becoming a professional with Charlton Athletic. He made only two league appearances in two years at The Valley but had spells on loan at Brentford and Gillingham, playing for Gillingham, and clinching promotion, in the League Two Play-Off Final at Wembley. In Summer 2009, he was transferred to Scunthorpe United where he has become a regular member of the First Team.

LEE HILLS (Crystal Palace) attended Whitgift School and made his debut for Crystal Palace in Season 2007-08. He has also appeared for Colchester United on loan.

MICHAEL BOULDING (Barnsley), formerly of Birkdale School, began his professional sporting career as in tennis, playing at Junior Wimbledon and in the qualifying tournament of the main Wimbledon tournament.  He switched to football in 1999 and has had a number of clubs in his career, starting at Mansfield and subsequently playing first team football for Grimsby, Aston Villa, Sheffield United, Barnsley and Cardiff City, before rejoining Mansfield in 2006.  In two seasons at Mansfield Michael scored 27 goals in 82 games but could not prevent the club's relegation in 2008 despite finishing as one of League Two's top scorers.  In 2008 Michael moved to Bradford City, making 19 appearances in two years, before he returned to Barnsley in summer 2010.

DAN HARDING (Southampton) was educated at St. Bede’s School, The Dicker (Hailsham). He joined Brighton & Hove Albion before making his debut in Season 2002-03 and becoming a regular in 2003-04 and playing in their victory over Bristol City in the Division 1 Play-Off Final at the Millennium Stadium. He made 39 appearances in Brighton’s Championship season of 2004-05 before joining Leeds United in 2005. Dan made 20 appearances for Leeds before losing his first team place and moving to Ipswich Town in the summer of 2006. Following loan spells at Southend and Reading during Season 2008-09, he joined Southampton in July 2009, becoming Alan Pardew's first signing.



REUBEN REID (Walsall) scored twice for Millfield in the 2005 Boodles ISFA Cup Final, when they defeated Hampton 3-1. On leaving school, he spent a brief spell with Manchester United before joining Plymouth Argyle for whom he made his league debut as a substitute against Ipswich Town in the final match of the 2005-06 season. After spells on loan with Kidderminster Harriers and Rochdale during season 2006-07, he started the first two league games of the 2007-08 season for Plymouth but then lost hish place and had load spells at Wycombe Wanderers and Brentford. In summer 2008. Reuben joined Rotherham United, scoring on his debut on the first day of the season and finishing the season as the club's top goalscorer with 18 goals, a feat which earned him a transfer to West Bromwich Albion in August 2009. After a spell on loan at Peterborough United, Reuben joined Walsall in August 2010.

FRANK FIELDING (Blackburn Rovers) kept goal for QEGS Blackburn in the 2004 Boodles ISFA Cup Final. He joined Blackburn Rovers full time on leaving schol and made two appearances for the England U19 team in 2007. In Season 2007-08, he was signed on loan by Wycombe Wanderers and made his debut at Bradford City, keeping a clean sheet in a 1-0 victory, and remained first choice until the end of the season when he returned to Ewood Park. Since 2008, Frank had loan spells at Northampton Town, Rochdale and Rochdale.  He has made several appearances for the England U21 team and, in August 2010, was on the bench for the full England side for their friendly with Hungary.



JORDAN SPENCE (West Ham United) was a pupil at Chigwell School. He was captain of the England U16 team that won the Victory Shield in 2005-06 and also captain of the England U17 team which reached the Final of the UEFA European Championships, losing to Spain 1-0, and also qualified for the U17 World Cup in Korea in August 2007, at which tournament Jordan scored a last minute winner for England against Brazil. In January 2009, Jordan went on loan to Leyton Orient, making 20 First Team appearances. At the start of the 2009-10 season he spent a period on loan at Scunthorpe United.



TOM ADEYEMI (Norwich City, currently on loan at Bradford City) has been at Norwich City since the age of 8, progressing through the Academy before making his debut, aged just 17, against Colchester United on the first day of the 2009-10 season while still a pupil at Norwich School. Having made 13 First Team appearances in Season 2009-10, he moved on loan to Bradford City at the start of the 2010-11 season



ADAM VIRGO (Yeovil Town) was a pupil at St. Aubyn's Prep School (Brighton) and Ardingly College and was a member of the Ardingly side which achieved the notable achievement of winning the English Schools FA U18 Schools Trophy in 1999. On leaving school he joined Brighton & Hove Albion for whom he soon established himself as a versatile player who could play in both attack and defence, making 73 appearances. He played in the Brighton team that won a Promotion Play-Off Final against Bristol City at the Millennium Stadium in 2004, scoring in the penalty shoot-out, and he was Brighton’s Player of the Year in 2004-05. In the summer of 2005 he was transferred to Celtic for £1 million but failed to establish a regular place in the starting line-up, making just 10 appearances and also winning two caps for the Scotland B team. He was loaned to Coventry City for the 2006-07 season and then to Colchester United for the 2007-08 season. In 2008, Adam re-signed for his home town club, Brighton, making a further 61 appearances before signing for Yeovil Town in July 2010.



SEAN McALLISTER (Shrewsbury Town) won the Player of the Tournament Award as a member of the winning Bolton School team in the ISFA Under-15 Six-a-Side Tournament in 2001. He was a regular member of the ISFA Under-16 representative team in season 2002-03 and also played for Bolton School in the 2003 Boodle & Dunthorne ISFA Cup Final, when they defeated Bradfield College. Sean left school at 16 and joined Sheffield Wednesday, progressing through their Academy and making his First Team debut in the Coca-Cola Championship in the 2005-06 season, at Southampton as a substitute and then starting a match for the first time at Derby County. Sean had loan spells at Mansfield Town and Bury during 2007-08 but returned to Hillsborough for Season 2008-09, becoming a First Team regular. However, after a disappointing 2009-10 campaign, Sean signed for Shrewsbury Town in July 2010.

ROBIN SHROOT (Cheltenham Town) is an example of success through perserverence.  He left Alleyn's School at 16, having played only 2nd XI football mainly due to his size, but he progressed through a variety of non-league clubs before gaining a trial with Birmingham City in 2008, as a result of which he won a contract and made his First Team debut in an FA Cup tie with Wolves in January 2009.  Robin has Northern Ireland international caps at U19, U20 and U21 levels.  Following loan spells with Walsall and Burton Albion, he joined Cheltenham Town in summer 2010.



JOSH O'KEEFE (Lincoln City) was a pupil at QEGS Blackburn and played in their winning Boodles ISFA Cup team of 2003-04. He also played representative football for ISFA. A product of the Blackburn Rovers Academy, he has one Republic of Ireland Under-21 cap. He moved to Walsall in 2009, making 13 First Team appearances before joining Lincoln City in May 2010.

RORY BOULDING (Accrington Stanley) attended Birkdale School and signed for Mansfield Town 2006 and made 20 appearances over 2 years before moving to Bradford City in the summer of 2008.  He made just three appearances at Valley Parade before moving to Accrington Stanley in summer 2010.



JAMES NORWOOD (Exeter City) attended St. Bede's School, Hailsham, where he was a member of the side that won the English Schools Trophy in 2008-09. As well as playing for the ISFA U18 representative team, he also played for England Schools, scoring against France at Wembley Stadium. On leaving school, he signed for Exeter City and made his debut away at Leeds United on the opening day of the 2009-10 season.  He is currently on loan at Forest Green Rovers.




JOHNNY GORMAN (Wolverhampton Wanderers) is still a pupil at Repton School and has yet to appear in the First Team at Wolves. However, he is included on this page as he has two Full International caps for Northern Ireland, having been selected to play against Turkey and Chile in May 2010, just two months after he had played in the 2010 Boodles ISFA Cup Final for his school.