10 Manchester City Academy Stars Who Only Made the Grade Elsewhere

Before the Abu Dhabi United Group takeover of Manchester City in 2008, the club survived on their academy system which produced a string of players who either went on to play for the first team or made the club some money by being sold elsewhere.

Nedum Onuoha, Joey Barton, Michael Johnson and, perhaps most significantly, Shaun Wright-Phillips all made an impact during a pretty barren period for the Blues, and there have been plenty of others in the club’s history, too.

But which players came through the club’s academy yet made their name elsewhere? Here, we look back at some who began in blue but made major strides at other clubs.

1. Kieran Trippier

Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images

Burnley right-back Kieran Trippier began life at City, but he failed to make the grade. He was highly thought of, and many expected him to at least become a bit-part player, possibly establishing himself further down the line; but he failed to make a single first-team appearance during his time at the club.

His loan move to Burnley in 2010, though, proved to be a great decision. He signed permanently for them in 2011 and was a key player in the promotion-winning side last season. He’s acquitted himself superbly in the Premier League.

His ability to get forward and provide excellent deliveries is one of Burnley’s most potent attacking threats.

2. Ben Mee

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Ben Mee was highlighted very early on as a player with real potential, and he captained the reserve side for a period and led with distinction. He had leadership qualities and intelligence that belied his young age.

He lifted the 2008 FA Youth Cup as captain and went on the club's U.S. tour in 2010 as Roberto Mancini looked to give some of his most promising youngsters an opportunity to shine with the senior players. Mee played twice and then played a League Cup match at West Bromwich Albion.

However, it proved to be his only senior appearance. Loan moves to Leicester City and Burnley followed, and he signed permanently for the Clarets in 2011, becoming a regular for three seasons and helping them to promotion to the Premier League.

3. Willo Flood

Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

Kevin Keegan gave a young Willo Flood his debut in City's UEFA Cup qualifying game against Total Network Solutions in 2002, and he went on to play 18 times for the club, but ultimately, his lack of strength and technical quality saw him depart to try and establish himself elsewhere.

Flood has since played for Cardiff City, Celtic, Middlesbrough, Dundee and Aberdeen.

4. Ched Evans

Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

After being part of the FA Youth Cup side which were runners-up in 2006, Ched Evans made his senior debut for City in 2007 and went on to play 26 times for the club, scoring just once.

Evans lacked any explosive attributes, which ultimately held him back from making the grade at City, but it was clear he was capable of carving out a career at a lower level. A loan move to Norwich City—where he scored 10 times in 28 appearances—demonstrated his ability, and a £3 million move to Sheffield United in 2009 followed.

It was playing for the Blades which saw him prove himself as a decent player, scoring 48 goals for the club in 113 games.

However, in 2012, he was convicted of raping a 19-year-old woman and has only recently been released from prison, after serving half of a five-year sentence. 

5. Daniel Sturridge

Mark Thompson/Getty Images

Daniel Sturridge was earmarked as a star early in his City career, and in fact, many felt his debut was delayed, with Stuart Pearce reluctant to give him a chance.

He did play for City—32 times, scoring six goals—and in 2009, he was voted the club's Young Player of the Year. Impressive though he was in his appearances, he was never really trusted as much as he arguably should have been, and he eventually left and signed a pre-contract agreement with Chelsea.

He scored nine times in 41 games before being loaned to Bolton Wanderers in January 2011. He was superb, scoring eight goals in 12 games.

A move back to Chelsea saw him become more of a regular starter, scoring 15 times in 55 games, but it was a strike rate considered not good enough, and he was sold to Liverpool in 2012 in what's proven to be a wonderful move.

He has developed his game further at Anfield. He can come from wide positions, play as a No. 10 or as a goal-getter and has a wonderful touch. The greediness which characterised his early years has now subsided, and his 36 goals in 52 games has seen him become a Premier League star and an England regular. 

6. Bradley Wright-Phillips

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Having been top scorer for City's reserve side in 2003-04, Bradley Wright-Phillips scored his first senior goal four minutes after coming on against Middlesbrough in 2004.

He played 40 times for City—many of which were substitute appearances—but scored just two goals. He appeared to lack a killer instinct and was deemed surplus to requirements.

A £500,000 switch to Southampton followed, before moves to Plymouth, Charlton Athletic and Brentford; however, a switch to New York Red Bulls has seen him establish himself, with 32 goals in 45 MLS games.

7. Glenn Whelan

Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press

A single appearance for City in the UEFA Cup qualifying match against TNS in 2003 was all Glenn Whelan managed in the City first team, but he has thrived since leaving the club permanently in 2004 to sign for Sheffield Wednesday.

Stoke City swooped in and signed him in 2008, and he's become a regular in the Premier League and for the Republic of Ireland since. Whelan is a tidy central midfielder, and he played against City in the 2011 FA Cup final as the Sky Blues ended their 35-year wait for a piece of major silverware.

8. Tyrone Mears

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Tyrone Mears may have only played once for the City first team after emerging from their academy system in the early 2000s, but he has since gone on to prove he is capable of holding down a regular place elsewhere.

He's played for Preston North End, West Ham United, Derby County and Bolton Wanderers—via a loan spell at Marseille—in what has been a somewhat nomadic career. He broke his leg early in his time at Bolton, which held him back, and he is currently without a club.

9. Vladimir Weiss

David Rogers/Getty Images

A star of the FA Youth Cup-winning side of 2008, Vladimir Weiss was expected to achieve big things at City, but he underwhelmed. He made just four appearances, scoring one goal.

He played more during a loan move to Bolton and for Slovakia at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and he eventually moved to Rangers on a permanent transfer.

However, he moved after just one season and has never really settled anywhere since, playing in Spain with Espanyol, in Italy with Pescara, in Greece with Olympiakos and, most recently, in Qatar with Lekhwiya SC.

10. Kasper Schmeichel

Ian Walton/Getty Images

At the start of the 2007-08 season, Kasper Schmeichel was seen by former City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson as his No. 1. The man whose father, Peter, who was a goalkeeping legend who had played for both City and Manchester United, was seen as a long-term option in goal.

He made his debut in a win away at West Ham and saved a Robin van Persie penalty in a defeat at Arsenal, playing City's first seven games of the season and conceding just five. However, there were some deficiencies in his game, most notably his lack of presence when balls were put into the box, and he was dropped.

Loan moves to Cardiff and Coventry followed, before a permanent switch to Notts County saw him reunited with Eriksson, who was a known admirer.

He joined Leeds United in 2010 and really began to make a name for himself, before joining Leicester City in 2011. He won promotion to the Premier League with the Foxes last season and is a regular in their side now.

He has nine caps for Denmark.