Chelsea boasts one of the most exceptional youth development systems in England, consistently producing an abundance of talented players who often progress to play for the first team.
Recently, players like Mason Mount, Conor Gallagher, and Reece James have excelled in the Premier League, followed by Gallagher’s transfer to Atletico Madrid.
On the flip side, some do not achieve great success, and in this case, we've explored five former individuals who did not quite make it big. Chelsea academy players who are currently competing in non-league soccer.
Rohan Ince
Paul Ince's nephew and Tom's cousin, Rohan Ince, has participated in international football five times for Montserrat and has also been part of several prominent teams.
He didn't stay long at Chelsea before getting released, but he was signed by Brighton, where he remained for five years as they competed in the Championship. During his tenure with the Seagulls, he made 91 appearances and went on loan several times, including a stint with another Championship team, Fulham.
Following his departure from Brighton in 2018, Ince has competed in both League One and League Two matches. At 32 years old, he is now participating in the National League as part of Woking’s team. Simultaneously, his cousin Tom is playing in the Championship division for Watford at the age of 33.
Michael Woods
Originally from York and having started his career in Leeds' youth system, Chelsea recognized Woods as a promising talent worth investing in, paying £150,000 for him when he was younger. Additionally, he was part of the England squad for the Under-20 World Cup in 2009; however, he didn’t get any playing time during the tournament.
Two years after that incident, the player found himself clubless once again upon being let go by Chelsea. During his time there, he barely made it into the first-team lineup, appearing only twice but failing to get any game time.
Initially, he was selected by Yeovil but they let him go after half a year. Subsequently, a different team from League One, Doncaster Rovers, took him under their wing. Following this, Woods experienced playing for non-league clubs when he moved as a free agent to Harrogate Town.
He went back to the 92 with Hartlepool, yet he has been involved in non-League games ever since their relegation from League Two during the 2016/17 season. Since then, Woods has represented Harrogate, Dover, York, South Shields, and currently plays for Scarborough.
Alex Kiwomya
Across Chelsea’s under-18, under-21, and youth league teams, Kiwomya made 69 appearances, netting 12 goals and providing seven assists.
Although he didn't play any senior matches, the Blues loaned him out thrice in an attempt to fulfill his potential, but without success. In 2017, he moved to Doncaster Rovers as a free agent, subsequently going on loan to teams in the National League like Chesterfield and Chorley.
After initially joining Chesterfield on loan, Kiwomya made the permanent move a few years later. Following a brief stint in Gibraltar during 2021, he has since been moving between various clubs in English non-league football. Currently, he plays for Rylands in the Northern Premier League, which is positioned two tiers beneath the National League.
Luke McCormick
Midfielder McCormick scored 24 goals and provided 10 assists in 81 matches for Chelsea’s under-18, under-21, and youth teams.
In 33 Premier League 2 matches, McCormick managed 12 goal contributions, which initially indicated he could potentially make his way into the main squad; however, this expectation did not materialize.
Rather than focusing elsewhere, he has predominantly been a League One player throughout his career, participating in the tournament 141 times and contributing directly to 27 goals during stints with Bristol Rovers and Wimbledon.
Although League One club Rovers remains the owner of McCormick, he is presently on loan to Forest Green, which competes in the National League.
Billy Clifford
During the 2013/14 Under-21 Premier League season with Chelsea, Clifford provided assistance for six goals across just five matches. Notably, three assists were recorded in a single match where Chelsea’s youth team thrashed Leicester 5-1.
In just 45 minutes of play after coming off the bench, Clifford contributed three assists, overshadowing midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Additionally, Nathan Ake and Andreas Christensen started the match alongside him.
However, the mentioned threesome moved on to greater achievements, whereas Clifford became a free agent two years later. He participated in nearly 75 matches across League One and League Two but descended to the non-league level during the 2018/19 season.
Clifford has represented Boreham Wood, Hemel, Billericay, Slough, Wealdstone, Havant, Waterlooville, Ebbsfleet, and currently plays for Barnet in the non-league system.
READ NEXT : 7 Manchester United academy alumni who shock us with their presence in non-league football
TRY A QUIZ : SportsWord: Engage in daily football word puzzles on Planet Sports