Academy Director Richard Johnson has reflected on an “amazing” seven days for the youth set-up at London Colney, with a string of senior debuts, unforgettable individual moments and progression in cup competitions marking a period of unprecedented success in the early part of 2023.

It all began with the Emirates FA Cup third-round trip to Reading (Saturday January 7), which saw four Young Hornets make their first-team bows after rising through the age groups. A 3-1 win for the Under-18s against a Category One Everton side in the FA Youth Cup swiftly followed (Monday January 9), before the Under-21s sealed a place in the semi-finals of the Herts Senior Challenge Cup with a 2-0 triumph against London Lions (Wednesday January 11).

An immense week would culminate with Academy striker Tobi Adeyemo’s incredible opener against Blackpool in the Sky Bet Championship fixture (Saturday January 14), to set the Golden Boys on their way to three points, with fellow youngster Jack Grieves also making his first home league appearance.

Johnson has been extremely pleased to see the progression in the Academy since he arrived back in 2021, alongside Head of Technical Development Jimmy Gilligan.

“It’s been absolutely amazing,” he said. “The FA Cup debuts, with Michael Adu-Poku leading the line as a 17-year-old, was just amazing. I thought he competed really well, and then Ryan [Andrews] came on at half-time, followed by Jack Grieves and Tobi Adeyemo.

“To have that period of getting four lads on the pitch making their debuts was brilliant, and obviously Tobi’s goal against Blackpool was great. It almost feels like everybody seems to have forgotten about James Morris, as well, who has held his place in the starting XI at the moment. I couldn’t be happier for James - he’s a manager’s dream.

“You look at the FA Youth Cup, where [Adrian] Blake and Grieves played a major part in scoring those goals, and the morning of that game we actually had Adeyemo, Grieves and Blake in training with the first-team.

“It has been an incredible period, and I reflect on it with Jimmy [Gilligan, Head of Technical Development], about how far we’ve come in the 15 or 16 months since we’ve been in the building.

“We realise that some of it is down to circumstance, with the injury list in the first-team, but it’s still really pleasing to see the boys given an opportunity. To know they’ve done well with the opportunity, and that the manager trusts them to do a job, that is the biggest thing.”

Focusing on Adeyemo’s first senior goal against the Tangerines, Johnson feels that the moment symbolises significant evolution at the club, and he is pleased to have seen the effort made by the Academy staff and players.

Johnson continued: “It was all topped off with Tobi’s goal. Looking back, Slaven Bilić [Head Coach] had the faith in Tobi to let him go on, thinking he could have an input and a chance to change the game or to create something. That was a huge call on his behalf that thankfully was backed up by Tobi putting the ball in the back of the net.

“I was sat in the Directors’ Box, and I was jumping up and down. I lost my voice. What a moment. And I think that picture that has been shared, with him running up to Jack Grieves, just sums it all up really. I think you could sense the reaction from the fans as well, and to score at the Rookery End – he couldn’t have done it at a better end to celebrate with the supporters.

“From an Academy point of view, for whatever reason, it wasn’t going the way that we all would have liked as a football club, and changes were made. I’ve spent the last 15 months recruiting, because there were wholesale changes in terms of staffing and the direction of the Academy. I think it’s great to now see the sort of pitchside contribution we’re achieving, in terms of players getting an opportunity.

“But what’s really pleasing is the changes made by the staff in terms of the culture and the environment that we’re trying to create here for the players. We have a great team in place now, that first and foremost cares about the players. I think if you would ask any player or parent now about the culture and environment, it would be a lot different to a few years ago.

“Things like Tobi getting on the pitch, scoring and helping the first-team to win again, that can have a massive impact on kids coming through the Academy and on parents as well, realising that there could be a pathway here at the club.”

Johnson and Gilligan are both former Hornets, and the Australian believes that the change in culture has partly derived from their playing experience at Vicarage Road.

He added: “I think myself and Jimmy, having played for the club and come through the youth system ourselves, we understand the club and its values. On the day Tobi scored it was the Graham Taylor Matchday, so it couldn’t have worked out any better.

“I do want to thank the staff that we have in the building now for helping change the environment here. Hopefully, the players are going to reap the benefits of that, and the club to a degree.

“Hopefully this period has given the players a bit of encouragement to see that there may be a pathway here to the first-team, which probably hasn’t really happened in the past.

“Obviously it’s not going to happen every week, but we know what we need to do. We need to prepare the players as best we can so that if the opportunity does arise, then they’re ready for it.”