The Youth Team has got its pre-season campaign under way as they build up to a new start under Danny Clarke.
Clarke has stepped up from his role as assistant under Julian Darby to become head coach of the U18s, with Andy Parrish moving up within the Academy set-up to become his number-two.
And after a couple of weeks back in training and an opening two friendlies, Clarke is enjoying his new role.
“I’m delighted to get given the opportunity to take these lads into the next phase of trying to earn a professional contract. I've spent a lot of time working under Jules and obviously been at the academy for a long time,” said Clarke.
“I’ve been at the club 14 years and now having my opportunity to help these lads with the knowledge I've gained, with the people that have supported me to the position I’m in, I'm really excited to see what I can push out of these boys and get the best out of them.
“Working with Andy is going to give me an opportunity to bounce a few ideas off him and try a couple of things different ways and having him there is also that support mechanism to make sure that the lads feel comfortable being challenged in the environment we're in.”
The 2026/27 youth squad includes nine new first-year scholars, who have previously played under Parrish at U16 level and, in some cases, had a taste of the U18s with Clarke.
They are now full-time players along with those who have moved into their second year as Clarke tries to mould a squad capable of competing at whatever level is required this season.
"The first thing I've tried to do is try and create this connection between the first and second years,” Clarke added. “It's really important to me as a collective that they're all there to challenge each other and give each other the best chance possible of moving forward with this football club and they’ve started really well.
“There are some leaders that are stepping up and characters and I want that in the group. I just want to make sure that when it comes to the football, they're focused and concentrated and putting the hard work in to get the success on the pitch.”
After starting out with a youthful line-up and a 4-0 loss to the Steven Gerrard Academy, the Whites were closer to full strength in beating Welsh outfit Connahs Quay Nomads 10-0 in their second warm-up game at Lostock.
The young Whites were helped by a phenomenal five-minute hat-trick from first-year substitute Asa Littler, a brilliant, finessed finish from outside the box by Denver Clement and two good finishes from Sonny Coyne either side of the break.
Wanderers kicked it off early with Sam Hopkinson cutting in and firing home a well-directed finish just three minutes in before defender Joe Lamb followed up from a free-kick to force home his first goal since signing as a scholar.
Coyne, another to have been signed up after featuring at youth-team level last season, helped himself to the first of his double and might have claimed a hat-trick of his own following a 37th-minute effort which hit the bar.
Just before the break, Clement – who impressed in the U21s last weekend – then bagged the goal of the game from outside the area with an amalgamation of power and accuracy which saw his shot curl into the top right-hand corner and give the goalkeeper no chance.
Following wholesale changes to spread the game time, Littler then enjoyed his moment in the sun with a penalty, a header and a powerful strike completing his quick-fire treble.
Dan Ogboru and Alfie Baxter got themselves on the scoresheet in the second of eight scheduled pre-season friendlies, with the schedule set to get harder on Saturday when the Whites go to take on Rangers at the academy home of the Scottish Premier League outfit.
“We're building up the match fitness and Saturday's going to be a fantastic test for these boys and I'm looking forward to going up to Rangers,” Clarke said.
“That's part of being a footballer. You want to test yourself against the best players and see where you're at. They've got that on Saturday and I think building off today, it's a great opportunity to see how they can do going forward.”
Report by Thomas McCabe