Hibernian F.C. Reserves and Academy#U20 Development squad

In the early 1950s, reserve teams were incorporated into the third tier of the senior Scottish Football League, with Hibernian 'A' taking part for six seasons of the arrangement.[http://www.oocities.org/br1anmccoll/cdiv.htm Scottish Football League C Division overview], Scottish Football Historical Archive[https://www.rsssf.org/tabless/scot3hist.html Scotland - Final Tables Third Level 1924-2004], RSSSF[http://fchd.info/HIBERNI2.HTM Hibernian Reserves] Football Club History Database Hibs fielded a team for many years in various separate reserve competitions culminating in the Scottish Premier Reserve League, which was abandoned in 2009. An under-20 side then took part in the SPFL Development League until it was disbanded in 2018 – Hibs were its final champions. An SPFL Reserve League was set up in its place, but Hibs intimated at the end of its first season (2018–19) that they would withdraw from the Reserve League to play a variety of challenge matches.{{cite web|url=http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/9996 |title=Reserve League update|publisher=Hibernian FC |date=29 May 2019 |access-date=29 May 2019}} They later entered a small league (under-21 plus three overage) along with three other Scottish clubs and Brentford and Huddersfield Town from the English leagues.[https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/celtic-rangers-join-new-cross-20076813.amp Celtic and Rangers join new cross-border reserve competition along with Aberdeen and Hibs], Daily Record, 16 September 2019

Prior to the introduction of the Scottish Premier League in 1998, the Under-20s previously competed in the youth league administered by the Scottish Football League. Since 2015 it has been possible for the Hibs academy to participate in the UEFA Youth League by the Under-17 side winning the previous season's league at that age group. This was first achieved in 2022, and Hibs defeated Norwegian side Molde FK on penalties in the first round of the 2022–23 competition.{{cite news |url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/hibs-defeat-molde-on-penalties-after-2-2-draw-to-advance-in-uefa-youth-league-3869165 |title=Hibs defeat Molde on penalties after 2-2 draw to advance in UEFA Youth League |newspaper=Edinburgh Evening News |first=Patrick |last=McPartlin |date=5 October 2022 |accessdate=6 October 2022}} They then progressed through the second round by a 3–1 aggregate score against French club Nantes, but then lost 2–1 to Borussia Dortmund in the knockout phase.{{cite news |url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/hibs-stun-nantes-to-set-up-uefa-youth-league-play-off-against-one-of-europes-big-guns-3903570 |title=Hibs stun Nantes to set up UEFA Youth League play-off against one of Europe's big guns |newspaper=Edinburgh Evening News |first=Patrick |last=McPartlin |date=2 November 2022 |accessdate=2 November 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://news.stv.tv/sport/hibs-to-face-borussia-dortmund-in-european-knockout-clash-with-bundesliga-giants |title=Hibs handed tough Borussia Dortmund tie in Uefa Youth League |first=James |last=Delaney |website=STV Sport |date=8 November 2022 |accessdate=8 November 2022}}{{cite news |url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/steve-kean-hails-outstanding-hibs-after-dortmund-heartbreak-and-makes-first-team-claim-4018278 |title=Steve Kean hails 'outstanding' Hibs after Dortmund heartbreak and makes first team claim |newspaper=Edinburgh Evening News |first=Patrick |last=McPartlin |date=7 February 2023 |accessdate=8 February 2023}}

For the 2016–17 edition of the Scottish Challenge Cup, Under-20 teams of Premiership clubs were granted entry to compete against adult teams for the first time in the modern era. As Hibs were in the second tier that season, it was their senior team who entered the competition. Hibs under-20s first entered the Challenge Cup in the 2017–18 edition, losing 2–1 to Elgin City in the first round.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40943755 |title=Challenge Cup: Annan beat Celtic U20, Dundee United see off Cowdenbeath |work=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |date=15 August 2017 |access-date=17 August 2017}}

Hibs' main area of recruitment is the Lothian and Borders region around Edinburgh which has a population of around one million. They face a constant battle with rivals Heart of Midlothian to sign the most promising youngsters in the area. In the past both Hibs and Hearts have signed many players from youth club Hutchison Vale.{{cite web|title=Famous Hutchie Players|url=http://www.hutchisonvale.com/famous-hutchie-players/|publisher=Hutchison Vale Community Sports Football Club|access-date=6 August 2018}}

In 2016 the Investors in People Silver Award was bestowed on the Hibernian Academy for its work with the young people connected to the organisation.{{cite web|title=Academy awarded 'Investors in young people' award|url=http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/7123|website=Hibernian FC|access-date=9 February 2017}}

In 2017, the Hibernian academy was one of eight across the country designated 'elite' status on the introduction of Project Brave, an SFA initiative to concentrate the development of the best young players at a smaller number of clubs with high quality facilities and coaching than was previously the case.{{cite web|title=Project Brave: Scottish FA confirms eight-club academy elite |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/41997062|work=BBC Sport|date=15 November 2017|access-date=29 July 2018}}{{cite web|title=SFA confirms Project Brave academy placings |url=https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/teams/celtic/sfa-confirms-project-brave-academy-placings-1-4613908 |work=The Scotsman|date=15 November 2017|access-date=29 July 2018}}

Although the official home of the academy teams is the club's training centre near Ormiston, the Under-20 matches usually take place at lower league stadia: Ainslie Park in Edinburgh, home of Spartans F.C. is used most frequently, and fixtures have also been played at the indoor Oriam facility which was the official venue for the reserves in the 2018–19 season.{{cite web|url=https://spfl.co.uk/admin/filemanager/images/shares/pdfs/SPFL%20Reserve%20League%20Fixtures_WEB.pdf|title=SPFL Reserve League fixtures|access-date=6 August 2018|publisher=SPFL}}

{{Updated|1 June 2025}}

Note: Several players on the list have either made first team appearances for Hibs, or have been loaned to other SPFL clubs; however they can still be selected for Development League fixtures whenever available to play.{{cite web|title=Development Squad|url=https://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/teams/academy|access-date=10 January 2022}}{{cite web|title=Development Squad|url=https://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/article/hibs-development-squad-confirmed-ahead-of-2022-23 |date=27 June 2022 |access-date=30 June 2022}}

{{Football squad start}}

{{fs player | nat=SCO | no=36 | pos=MF | name=Jacob MacIntyre}}

{{fs player | nat=SCO | no=37 | pos=DF | name=Oscar MacIntyre}}

{{fs player | nat=SCO | no=38 | pos=FW | name=Dean Cleland}}

{{fs player | nat=SCO | no=41 | pos=MF | name=Zach Bruce}}

{{fs player | nat=SCO | no=42 | pos=DF | name=Rory Whittaker}}

{{fs player | nat=SCO | no=45 | pos=DF | name=Joseph McGrath}}

{{fs player | nat=SCO | no=46 | pos=MF | name=Josh McDonald}}

{{fs mid}}

{{fs player | nat=SCO | no=48 | pos=GK | name=Ryan Mallon}}

{{fs player | nat=SCO | no=49 | pos=DF | name=Lewis Gillie}}

{{fs player | nat=SCO | no=50 | pos=MF | name=Adam Buckley}}

{{fs player | nat=SCO | no=51 | pos=GK | name=Freddie Owens}}

{{fs player | nat=SCO | no=52 | pos=MF | name=Jamie McMurdo}}

{{fs player | nat=SCO | no=53 | pos=MF | name=Luke Davidson}}

{{fs player | nat=SCO | no=54 | pos=DF | name=Owen Calder}}

{{Football squad end}}

Reserves

• SFL Division C (North-East)
• Winners: 1949–50
• Runners-up: 1952–53, 1954–55
• Scottish Reserve League{{efn|Includes the Scottish Reserve League 1945–1949, the Scottish (Reserve) League 1955–1975, the Scottish Reserve League 1975–1998 and the Scottish Premier Reserve League 2004–2009. Any wins in the Scottish Football Alliance (1918–1939) or the SFL Division C (1949–1955) are listed separately. Any wins in the SPL Under-21 league (1998–2004) are listed in the Youth section.}}[http://www.scottish-football-historical-archive.co.nf/scottish.htm Senior competition winners], Scottish Football Historical Archive
• Winners: 1945–46, 1946–47, 1947–48, 1948–49
• Scottish Reserve League Cup
• Winners: 1946–47, 1947–48, 1948–49, 1965–66
• Scottish 2nd XI Cup
• Winners: 1884–85, 1938–39, 1945–46, 1946–47

Youth

• Scottish Youth Cup
• Winners: 1992, 2009, 2018{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43915764 |title=Scottish Youth Cup final: Hibernian beat Aberdeen 3-1 |first=Kenny |last=Crawford |work=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |date=26 April 2018 |access-date=26 April 2018}}
• Runners-up: 1990, 1991
• SPFL Development League{{efn|Since 1998; also known as the Scottish Premier Under-18/Under-19/Under-20 League, SPFL Under-20 League. and CAS Elite Under-18 League}}
• Winners: 2008–09, 2017–18,{{cite news |url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/hibs-clinch-the-spfl-development-league-title-1-4725682 |title=Hibs clinch the SPFL Development League title |work=Edinburgh Evening News |date=17 April 2018 |access-date=17 April 2018}} 2021–22,{{cite news |url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/hibs-confirmed-under-18-league-champions-and-will-play-european-football-next-season-3714171 |title=Hibs confirmed Under-18 league champions and will play European football next season |first=Patrick |last=McPartlin |newspaper=Edinburgh Evening News |date=30 May 2022 |accessdate=30 May 2022}} 2024–25{{cite web |url=https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/news/hibernian-mens-under-18s-celebrate-after-winning-club-academy-scotland-elite-league-title/ |title=Hibernian Men's Under-18s celebrate after winning Club Academy Scotland Elite League title |publisher=Scottish Football Association |date=16 May 2025 |accessdate=27 May 2025}}

{{notelist}}

This list focuses on the players who have graduated through Hibernian's academy, and have made at least 50 first team appearances, since the inception of the SPL in 1998. This includes a group considered a "golden generation", who helped Hibs to Scottish League Cup finals in 2004{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/3502960.stm | title=Livingston lift CIS Cup | publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation | work=BBC Sport | date=14 March 2004 | access-date=10 August 2017}}{{Cite web |last=Moffat |first=Colin |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hibernian/3644519.stm |title=Few Hibees will mourn Williamson |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |date=20 April 2004 |access-date=10 August 2017}} and 2007{{Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/6456647.stm|title=Kilmarnock 1–5 Hibernian|last=Lindsay|first=Clive|date=18 March 2007|publisher=BBC|work=BBC Sport|access-date=10 August 2017}} (the latter of which they won), and most of whom went on to play for Scotland.{{cite news|url=http://www.scotsman.com/sport/defender-of-hibees-new-gems-1-1755464|title=Defender of Hibees' new gems|work=The Scotsman|first=David|last=Hardie|date=20 July 2011|access-date=10 August 2017}}{{cite news|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/hibee-golden-generation--out-of-work-5004552|title=The Hibee golden generation ... out-of-work Derek Riordan still training with Livingston|work=Daily Record|date=19 January 2015|access-date=10 August 2017}} Many other of the club's earlier notable players also came through the youth system. Players currently at Hibs in bold.

{{Updated|July 2020}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

• Kenny Miller
• Tam McManus
• Ian Murray
• Garry O'Connor
• Derek Riordan
• Scott Brown
• Steven Whittaker
• Kevin Thomson
• Steven Fletcher
• Kevin McCann

{{col-2}}

• Lewis Stevenson
• David Wotherspoon
• Paul Hanlon
• Jordon Forster
• Alex Harris
• Danny Handling
• Jason Cummings
• Sam Stanton
• Oli Shaw
• Ryan Porteous

{{col-end}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.hibs.org.uk/Hibs_youth.php Youth System background at Hibs.org.uk - 2005 article]
• [https://int.soccerway.com/teams/scotland/hibernian-fc-edinburgh-under-20/22946/ Hibernian U20 at Soccerway]

{{Hibernian F.C.}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hibernian F.C. Under-20s and Academy}}

Category:Hibernian F.C.

Category:Reserve team football in Scotland

Category:Youth football in Scotland

Category:Football academies in Scotland

Category:UEFA Youth League teams