ACADEMY NEWS

Onyango Claims Prestigious Honour At Everton Academy Awards

Everton Under-18 talent Tyler Onyango claimed the blue-riband Keith Tamlin Award at the Club’s Annual Academy Awards ceremony.

The celebration, hosted at Everton's USM Finch Farm training headquarters, also delivered recognition for the trio of Charlie Whitaker, Tom Cannon and Lewis Warrington.

Onyango, a rangy, hard-tackling and skilful midfielder, made his senior Everton debut as a substitute in January’s FA Cup fourth-round victory over Sheffield Wednesday.


The player, who turned 18 in March, established himself in David Unsworth’s Under-23 team this term before suffering a season-ending injury in last month’s FA Youth Cup win over Manchester City.

Onyango receives an award, named after Club Vice Life President Tamlin, that honours a player for consistently attaining high standards of “excellence, attitude and application” during their time in the Academy.

Whitaker, an attacking midfielder who joined Everton aged 12, is the Club’s Under-18 Player of the Season.

A winning goal against Blackburn Rovers on the opening day provided the launchpad for Whitaker to flourish in manager Paul Tait’s team.


The 17-year-old began the transition to Under-23 football in fantastic style, scoring on his full debut last month – Blackburn on the receiving end, again – then hitting four goals in two games against Southampton to finish the season, including a hat-trick as Unsworth’s side signed off with a 4-0 win over the south coast club.

Striker Cannon was chosen by Academy coaches and staff to receive the Tony Heslop Award, which honours a player who “represents The People’s Club with distinction and passion”.

Cannon scored 10 goals and provided four assists in 20 Under-18 Premier League appearances this term, adding two FA Youth Cup goals to complete Everton’s third-round recovery from 2-0 down against Wigan Athletic and begin a quarter-final run.

The 18-year-old from Ireland featured regularly in Unsworth’s Under-23 matchday squad, scoring two goals from the bench, before a first start in that last-day success against Southampton.

The Sir Philip Carter Award, named after the Club’s long-standing former Chairman, was won by midfielder Warrington, who joined Everton aged six.


In common with Cannon and Whitaker, he was a key member of the Everton team that knocked the highly-fancied duo of Manchester City and Chelsea out of this season’s FA Youth Cup.

Warrington advanced to the Under-23s last month and three starts for Unsworth’s team added to 18 Under-18 Premier League appearances.

The 18-year-old’s application is recognised with an award given to the Under-18 player “who has shown first-class commitment and achievement in his education while at the Academy”.