J’Neil Bennett

Lively winger J’Neil Bennett has been a regular in our Academy in recent seasons.

He made his first team debut for us as a substitute against Pacos de Ferreira in the first leg of our UEFA Europa Conference League play-off in August, 2021, and later that month joined Crewe Alexandra on loan, where he made 11 appearances during the first half of the 2021/22 season, scoring once.

J'Neil provided speed and goals in equal measure in our Academy in 2018/19. A key part of our Under-18 Premier League title-chasing side, he scored eight goals in 12 appearances in that competition as we ultimately finished second during what was his first season as a full-time player. Usually playing off the left wing, his goals tally included a hat-trick in a 5-1 win at Swansea City in August, 2018, and the first ever goal at our new stadium as we beat Southampton Under-18s 3-1 in a Test Event match there in March, 2019. He also made one Under-18 Premier League Cup appearance and scored in both our FA Youth Cup ties against Millwall and Arsenal - including a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser at The Den to take the first of those matches into extra time.

Named Player of the Tournament as our Under-17s lifted the Euro Youth Cup in St Wendel, Germany, in September, 2018, he also made his debut for England Under-18s and made six appearances for our Under-19s in the UEFA Youth League. Occasionally stepping up to Development Squad level, he played nine games in the Premier League 2 over the course of that season and also appeared twice in the EFL Trophy against senior teams from the Football League.

J'Neil made 11 appearances for our Under-18s in 2017/18, scoring two goals and starting all three of our FA Youth Cup games.

He grew up in Camden, attending Haverstock School and previously played for Queens Park Rangers.