Trust welcomes Academy appointments
The Fulham Supporters’ Trust welcomes news of the appointments to the Club’s academy for the 2025/2026 season.
Steve Wigley has been named Fulham’s academy director following Sean Cullen’s departure for Brighton and Hove Albion. Wigley has been a pivotal figure in the development of the club’s academy since joining Fulham from Nottingham Forest in 2012, initially as head of academy coaching, and then manager of the under-18s and under-21 sides. One of the most respected figures in the game, Wigley has served as the club’s academy technical director since 2023 and his promotion is one of a series of internal appointments highlighting the strengths of Fulham’s youth set-up off the field as well as on it.
The Trust would like to congratulate Andrew Watt, who has is approaching two decades of working at Fulham, on his appointment as academy manager. Watt began his Motspur Park career as a part-time coach with the Fulham FC Foundation but has since excelled as the academy’s Foundation Phase Manager, Youth Development Phase Manager, Head of Football and Head of Coaching.
The Trust sends our warmest congratulations to Ali Melloul, who has been a brilliant head coach of Fulham’s under-18s, on his promotion to Marco Silva’s coaching staff as first team coach.
Melloul’s new role sees Andrew Joslin appointed as Fulham’s new under-18s head coach. Joslin, previously an excellent age-group coach in the academy, served for three years as Melloul’s assistant at under-18 level before stepping up to assist under-21s head coach Hayden Mullins over the past year. He will retain the services of experienced under-18s assistant head coach Tommy Wilkinson.
The Trust are also delighted that Dan Thomas, who has almost completed two decades of service to the club’s academy, has been appointed under-21s assistant head coach. Thomas, who joined the Whites in 2008, has been an extremely successful Head of Player Development – having previously been the head coach at every age-group in the academy’s Youth Development Phase programme. Dan will combine his new role as Hayden Mullins’ assistant with his duties as assistant head coach to Matt Jones, the Welsh under-21s manager.
The Trust urges our members and all Fulham fans to support the club’s under 18s and under 21s sides this season and will continue our partnership with the award-winning category one academy through the Johnny Haynes Trophy.
