Youngest-Ever Town U18s Player Leaves Club
Saturday, 13th Jun 2026 10:10

Academy schoolboy Eli Hall, who last season became the youngest player ever to have appeared for the Blues’ U18s, has deregistered from the club.

Deregistering allows academy schoolboys to end their time with a club and be free to move elsewhere with minimal compensation due to their former side even if a scholarship has previously been offered.

Hall, who joined Town as a seven-year-old, became the youngest player ever to feature for the U18s in March when he played the full 90 minutes at right-back as they were beaten 4-3 at Birmingham City, aged just 14 years and 165 days old.

He had spent most of his season an age group up with the U15s, while also featuring for the U16s.

Hall was offered a scholarship by the Blues in November but has now opted to leave the club with Spurs understood to be in line to take him into their academy.

Photo: TWTD

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TownSupporter added 10:58 - Jun 13 To be fair who can blame the parents. When was the last time that we brought a players through? You only have to look at how Humphries and Baggott leave been treated..
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waveneyblue added 11:02 - Jun 13 and it will have absolutely nothing to do with a stack of cash. But everything to do with Humphries and Baggott. Right oh
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runningout added 11:04 - Jun 13 good luck to Hall…
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Paulc added 12:25 - Jun 13 @TownSupporter you seem to missing the point that everyone else seems to understand. Humphreys and Baggott are not good enough for the first team. If Kieran had picked either or both of them in the last 2/3 seasons and we hadn't had any success you would have a different opinion I'm sure.
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armchaircritic59 added 14:03 - Jun 13

Something needs to be seriously looked at with the way things are run by those in authority. This sort of thing should never be allowed to happen. As if those clubs who consider themselves " Big " ( in reality many haven't been for a long time ), don't have enough advantages. Obviously the lads parents have seen the dollar signs as usual. I'm torn here, I always like to see young people succeed in life and I hope he does well for his sake only, but as for the parents, I hope for their sake it doesn't go well. What will be will be, and probably a few years down the line we'll see him line up for some club in the Dog & Duck Sunday league, as we do with so many youngsters who have left here for supposedly " better " things, because their parents have got greedy, and found out too late that the grass often isn't greener on the other side.

Monkey_Blue added 14:17 - Jun 13 This is the way of things for most clubs vs the big boys. I disagree with an earlier comment regarding Humphreys and Baggott… I just think McKenna was always in a position to bring in more proven players in their position. I think either could have been part of a promotion campaign to some degree.
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armchaircritic59 added 15:08 - Jun 13

Monkey Blue, it's time clubs like us stood up to the so called " big boys " ( most aren't, just in their own head space ). Things will never change otherwise. It's time to pull their chairs away from under them at the top table. To do that, clubs don't sell on their best players to them. If the players themselves don't like it, tough.

Benoit Assou-Ekotto, formerly of Spurs up to 2015 was bang on in interview. He was well known for making it crystal clear that he played football just for a living, and had absolutely no interest in the game otherwise. He stated "It infuriates me when footballers go on about playing for the shirt. I think they should be held accountable for it when they kiss the badge and six months later clear off for a better pay day ". Guy was spot on. The game needs a revolution, not an evolution.

Dissboyitfc added 16:55 - Jun 13 There have been similar cases where youngsters have left believing it was the best move forward , struggling to think of any who went onto to better things, anybody think of one?
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armchaircritic59 added 17:53 - Jun 13 Dissboyitfc, I don't blame the youngsters themselves, I dare say many have little say it in. Their parents hop on what they think is the gravy train, only to find 90% plus of the time it isn't. End result is probably one dissillusioned young player. The parents get what they deserve, unfortunately the young lad doesn't.
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Crawfordsboot added 07:08 - Jun 14

What a lot of pious comment on here. Who knows what has motivated the family to follow this path. All parents want the best for their kids. I can only think they have thought this through and, for whatever reason, decided to pursue their dreams elsewhere. Perhaps, they are spurs supporters, but the lad only got a chance at Town, perhaps not. Perhaps they have been offered a wedge that pays off the family mortgage and is life changing for the family, perhaps not.
Instead of criticising the family we should be asking why have they reached this decision and could we have done anything differently to keep this lad at Town.

PhuketPete added 07:08 - Jun 14

Armchair. You start by saying it’s the fault of those “in authority” then its the “big boy” clubs, then it’s the parents. Then in your next message it’s Implied it’s ITFC fault for not standing up to the big boys. Then it’s back to greedy parents again. I get you’re disappointed (so am I) but we don’t know what drove this decision. Maybe his parents are moving to London; we don’t know - right? So why get worked up about it? I also doubt you’d be complaining if we “stole” a younger boy inwards. Anyway we’ve brought in several younger players lately so our general direction remains positive.

armchaircritic59 added 19:09 - Jun 14 Crawfordsboot, perhaps we should also ask why they they are using their offspring as a tool?
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armchaircritic59 added 19:11 - Jun 14 PhuketPete, initially it is the fault of the authorities, if they didn't allow things like this to happen, no one would be commenting on this article, as it wouldn't exist. It does exist, and we see the results.
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UppaTowen1878 added 19:49 - Jun 14 Good luck to him , you don't know the families situation, they could be from Essex/North London and it's closer to them . Or they want to go to an established Cat 1 academy. We havent got the greatest track record of players progressing in to first team squads .
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Crawfordsboot added 22:31 - Jun 14 Armchair - do enlighten us as to the inside info you have confirming that the boys parents are using him as a tool.
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armchaircritic59 added 23:33 - Jun 14

Crawfordsboot, I have non whatsoever, just as I have non that they aren't. I only hope a conversation has not gone in any household up and down the land like the one I'm committing here, and I hope at least you'll agree with me on this. " Son, we've had an approach from the Spurs academy ( or club of choice ),they would like to take you on there. Myself and your Mother have decided that's what's going to happen ". But dad I love it here, I'm so happy, I'm enjoying it so much and I've made great friends" Sorry Son, we've decided what's best for you and it well help pay off our mortgage ". Let's at least agree on the point that we hope that's a conversation that has never taken place?