HI RES ECFC Issue 05 Cardiff_Arsenal U21s - Flipbook - Page 11
HEAD COACH - MAX PORTER
After more than eight years within the Arsenal Academy, Max
Porter has taken up a new role this season as the Gunners’
Under-21s Head Coach.
The former midfielder enjoyed an extensive playing career navigating
the upper echelons of non-league football as well as stints in the EFL
with the likes of Barnet, AFC Wimbledon and Newport County.
As those days came to an end with Chelmsford City in 2019, the
38-year-old’s coaching career accelerated having already operated as a
Foundation Phase Academy Coach at Hale End.
Porter has progressed through multiple age categories, from leading
roles within the Under-13s to Under-19s setups, with the latter
supplemented with an assistant gig within the Gunners Under-21s
cohort – a role which lasted three seasons until his latest promotion
this summer.
The long-standing coach arrived in place of Mehmet Ali, who
joined Brentford’s first team coaching staff in the off season, with
professional development phase lead coach Ken Gillard supporting
the man at the helm as the Gunners look to put in a good account of
themselves in both Premier League 2 and Vertu Trophy competitions.
STAR MAN - CHARLES SAGOE JR
Charles Sagoe Jr will be hoping to maintain his early-season
momentum after a blistering start to the 2025/26 campaign.
The 21-year-old forward is no stranger to the thrills and spills of PL2 football
having registered more than 20 career goal involvements, at the time of writing,
for the Gunners.
Last season, meanwhile, saw him add three of those to his tally, albeit in
just four outings, having spent the first half of the campaign on loan with
Shrewsbury Town, his second EFL loan spell having made two cameos the year
prior for Championship club Swansea City.
Minutes at New Meadow were more generous with five league starts across
17 appearances in all competitions as he returned to Hale End with invaluable
experience ahead of the second half of the 2024/25 campaign.
The young prospect has since remained in north London for the foreseeable
future having hit the ground running for the Under-21s. Goals against Fulham
and Nottingham Forest, as well as an assist in the Midlands, preceded his
match-winning contribution against Brighton & Hove Albion, setting up a
dramatic 89th-minute winner against the Seagulls to round off August in style
as he looks to put those qualities to the test against senior opposition.
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