Arsenal scouts and Champions League - The Aston Villa NextGen champions who beat Chelsea

Jack Grealish became Aston Villa captain in the years since tasting victory in the NextGen Series of 2013 but what has happened to his age-group teammates from that victory?

It is almost 11 years since Aston Villa lifted the NextGen Series trophy by beating Chelsea at Lake Como.

That saw them following in the footsteps of Inter Milan's age-group side, who defeated Ajax in the 2012 edition.

But what has become of the claret and blue hopefuls who lifted the trophy against the Blues in April 2013? We take a look at where they are all playing now...

Brad Watkins

Position: Goalkeeper

First team appearances for Villa: 0

Current club: Unattached

The 23-year-old never made a first-team appearance at Villa despite making the bench for in the 2015 win over Notts County in the Capital One Cup. He previously had a loan spell at Tranmere Rovers in 2013 but remains without a club after leaving Villa in the summer of 2018.

Josh Webb

Position: Right-back

First team appearances for Villa: 0

Current club: Coaching at Aston Villa

Webb moved up from the under-18s to the under-21 squad in 2013. Despite being a regular in the under-21 set up, he left the club in July 2016 to join Kilmarnock on a one-year deal, but barely featured during the 2016-17 campaign. Was at Kidderminster Harriers and has spent time back at Villa as a youth-team coach. Most recently has played for Hednesford Town and has taught P.E.

Bradley Lewis

Position: Central defence

First team appearances for Villa: 0

Current club: Unattached

Lewis was released in the summer of 2016 and joined Halesowen Town, where he spent three seasons. He is without a club after leaving Halesowen last year. Lewis is also a qualified flooring installer and runs his own business.

Janoi Donacien

Position: Central defence

First team appearances for Villa: 0

Current club: Ipswich Town

The St Lucia international had loan spells with Tranmere Rovers, Bolton Wanderers and Newport County, making over 65 appearances when Villa were his parent club. After being released in the summer of 2016, Donacien signed for Accrington Stanley. He has since signed permanently for Ipswich Town, where he spent the 2018-19 campaign on loan, featuring against Villa in the Championship.

Donacien helped the Tractor Boys back to the Championship in 2023. Despite his contract expiring in the summer, he was invited to remain at Portman Road to continue his rehabilitation following injury.

Lewis Kinsella

Position: Left-back

First team appearances for Villa: 0

Current club: Aldershot Town

The likeable left-back almost broke through at Villa as he made the first-team squad under Tim Sherwood's charge. After loan spells at Kidderminster Harriers and Luton Town, the full-back joined Colchester United in the summer of 2016, but his first season there was hit by an ankle injury requiring surgery. He left in January 2018 transfer window to join Aldershot Town in the National League and he racked up well over 100 appearances during that four-year spell.

Since has spent time in the non-league with Wealdstone, Maidenhead, Gosport and Hayes & Yeading. Also works as a talent scout for Arsenal.

Josh Barton

Position: Right midfield

First-team appearances for Villa: 0

Current club: Unattached

The Northern Irishman didn’t stay at Villa too long after the NextGen Series win. The winger had had spells back in his native at Portadown and Dungannon and was most recently at Lurgan Celtic.

Riccardo Calder

Position: Central midfield

First-team appearances for Villa: 0

Current club: Telford United

The midfield man had all the makings of a potential first-team player but he never made the breakthrough despite a number of matchday inclusions. He moved on loan to Dundee, Doncaster Rovers and Lincoln City, before finding a permanent home in Scotland with the Championship side Inverness Caledonian Thistle until November 2018.

Since, Calder has journeyed around the non-league, having spells with the likes of Rushall Olympic, Brackley Town and Kettering. The man from Brum also likes to rap in his spare time as he recently explained in 2018. Here's the full story on his part-time hobby.

Samir Carruthers

Position: Central midfield

First team appearances for Villa: 3

Current club: Cambridge United

Carruthers lifted the NextGen Series trophy as captain. He made his debut for Villa’s first team in 2012 coming off the bench in a 1-1 draw against Liverpool. After a loan-spell at MK Dons, Carruthers joined the Dons on a permanent basis.

He made over 100 appearances for the League One side before joining Sheffield United in January 2017. First-team opportunities there were limited, so he spent a spell on loan at Oxford United last season.

In 2019 he joined League Two outfit Cambridge United on a free transfer from Bramall Lane and his career has continued into the non-league Hemel Hempstead, Chelmsford and Dartford, where he is now. Carruthers is a former Republic of Ireland under 21 international.

Jack Grealish

Position: Left midfield

First team appearances for Villa: 213, 32 goals

Current club: Manchester City

The most famous name in the NextGen winning line-up. Grealish became a regular under Tim Sherwood, starring in Villa’s 2-1 FA Cup semi final victory over Liverpool at Wembley in 2015. He scored his first goal for the club at the King Power Stadium in a defeat to eventual Premier League champions against Leicester in 2015-16.

He was one of the catalysts for Villa's promotion out of the Championship last season, returning from three months out injured around the turn of the year to help fire Dean Smith's to play-off triumph at Wembley.

Grealish's development since that NextGen triumph led to him wearing the captain's armband for the senior side in the Premier League, before he completed a £100m move to Manchester City in 2021 - he has since won three Premier League titles and the Champions League.

Graham Burke

Position: Striker

First-team appearances for Villa: 2

Current club: Shamrock Rovers

Burke ended the 2012-13 NextGen Series tournament as joint top goal scorer. He made two appearances under Paul Lambert but left the club permanently in 2015 to join Notts County.

He scored a belter in the Magpies' Capital One Cup defeat at Villa Park in 2015-16. Returned to Ireland in February 2017, joining Shamrock Rovers and getting a goal and a red card on his debut.

A rich vein of form followed and earned him a move to Preston, but he returned on loan to Shamrock following a stint with League One Gillingham in 2018-19. Dublin born Burke rejoined Shamrock permanently in 2021 and he remains there.

Callum Robinson

Position: Striker

First-team appearances for Villa: 5

Current club: Cardiff City

Callum Robinson got a handful of run-outs for the first team but had to move on in search of regular football.

He had three loan spells at Preston and one at Bristol City before making the permanent switch to Deepdale in 2016.

The forward caught the eye in the Championship, earning him a summer move to Sheffield United following their promotion to the Premier League.

He returned to the Midlands in January 2020 to join West Brom and helped them return to the Premier League. Scored 17 goals in 95 appearances for the Baggies before signing for Cardiff City in 2022. He has two goals in five games in 2024/25, including an equaliser in the South Wales derby at Swansea.

Substitutes

Kevin Toner

Position: Central defence

First-team appearances for Villa: 4

Current club: Kilmore Celtic

Toner was promoted to first-team duty by caretaker boss Eric Black at the end of 2015-16, making four appearances.

It followed a loan spell at non-league club Kidderminster Harriers. Bohemians wanted to take the Irish youngster home temporarily before he broke into the Villa team.

The Republic of Ireland age-group international can play in central defence and at left-back. Went on loan to Bradford City in January 2017 before leaving permanently to join St Patrick's on a permanent deal.

Linked up with Kilmore Celtic in the Leinster Senior League in November 2019 and then switched to Spain. He is playing in the lower leagues, based in Valencia, with Orihuela.

Jordan Lyden

Position: Midfield

First-team appearances for Villa: 8

Current club: Free agent

The Australian midfielder was captain and a key player for the under-23s in the 2015-16 campaign. His form for the young Lions earned him a promotion to the first team under Remi Garde. He made six league and cup appearances in 2015-16, but an injury ruled him out for much of the following season.

Unfortunately, injuries thwarted his progress in more recent times, too. He made a couple of appearances in the cup competitions for Villa before moving on loan to Oldham before the close of the transfer window.

Following his release by Villa in 2019, Lyden went on to join Swindon Town in League Two where he became a first-team regular, but injuries have continued to plague him; he signed for Hereford in 2023 but was ruled out for four months in pre-season.

Khalid Abdo

Position: Midfield

First team appearances for Villa: 0

Current club: Angered FC (in Sweden)

Aston Villa beat a string of clubs to get the Swede’s signature back in 2012. Abdo was the captain of Villa's Hong Kong Soccer 7s champions in 2016 and is an under-23s regular.

He was released at the end of 2017-18 and has since returned to Sweden, where he is played for second-tier outfit Syrianska FC before moving to Angered.

Dan Crowley

Position: Midfield

First team appearances for Villa: 0

Current club: Notts County

The former claret and blue whizzkid was tipped to be one of the hottest young talents in the country. But, aged 16, he left B6 for Arsenal and failed to make a first-team appearance for the Gunners.

In 2015-16 he made 13 appearances on loan for Barnsley, scoring once, and he went on loan to Oxford at the start of 2016-17. In December 2016 he joined Dutch top flight club Go Ahead Eagles on loan before moving to Willem II.

He stayed with Willem until the summer of 2019, when Birmingham City paid a reported £700,000 fee to bring him back to England - and he caught the eye at St Andrew's, before leaving in 2021. Returned to Willem II and his eclectic career brought him back to England with Morecambe in 2022. Has been with Notts County since and helped the Magpies return to the EFL in 2023.

Alfie Crooks

Position: Forward

First team appearances for Villa: 0

Current club: Unattached

Suffered a serious cruciate ligament injury. Was released by Villa in the summer of 2015 and then had an unsuccessful trial at Birmingham City.

Aidan Grant

Position: Goalkeeper

First team appearances for Villa: 0

Current club: Unknown

The 6ft 6ins stopper was last attached to Corby Town in the Evo-Stik League in the summer of 2016 after stints at Peterborough and Lincoln following his release from Villa.

Now passing on his knowledge working for Evolution Goalkeeper Coaching.

Liam Bateman

Position: Right-back

First team appearances for Villa: 0

Current club: Unknown

Broke his leg in a youth team game at Everton in January 2014. He was most recently attached to Kettering Town FC. Set up a clothing line called Simple Clothing with his brother Kurtis.

Here's how we reported the game

Villa U19 2 Chelsea U19 0

‘Have you won the Youth-opean Cup, the Youth-opean Cup, the Youth-opean Cup?!’

Chelsea might be Champions League holders by doing in 2012 what Villa memorably did in 1982.

But the claret and blues’ are the kings of the continent when it comes to youth football after lifting the NextGen Series trophy on Monday night.

Manager Paul Lambert flew to Italy to watch the kids’ crowning moment from the stands and will hopefully take the feelgood factor into the senior side’s quest for Premier League safety

Graham Burke was the goal hero for the under-19s with two penalties, at the start and end of the second half to clinch a 2-0 victory in the showpiece final at the Stadium Giuseppe Sinigaglia in Lake Como.

Fellow attackers Jack Grealish and Callum Robinson also impressed, while the Villa defence and goalkeeper Brad Watkins showed the first team what it takes to keep a clean sheet.

Monday night’s glory was the culmination of an impressive campaign in which Tony McAndrew’s young team have come on age.

Their involvement in this season’s competition started with a group defeat against Sporting Lisbon in August, but Villa have recovered to beat the Portuguese opponents twice, along with wins over Olympiacos, Ajax, PSV Eindhoven and Celtic.

At times the claret and blues have ridden their luck, but their character and courage deservedly earned them the success which provides a silver lining to a cloudy year for a club crying out to rediscover a winning mentality.

Having contended with plenty of pressure, Villa opened the scoring on 49 minutes when Robinson was upended by Alex Davey and Burke tucked away the penalty.

Chelsea were reduced to 10 when Alex Kiwomya was sent off for a second bookable offence late on before Burke made sure of the win with his second spot-kick in stoppage time after Josh Barton was fouled.

There were jubilant celebrations at the final whistle as captain Samir Carruthers lifted the trophy and McAndrew beamed: “They will become little legends in academy folklore.”

VILLA : Watkins, Webb, Lewis, Donacien, Kinsella; Barton, Calder, Carruthers, Grealish; Burke; Robinson. Subs not used: Bateman, Grant, Toner, Crooks, Lyden, Abdo, Crowley.

*Additional reporting by Gregg Evans