Jake Bidwell

Everton

Bidwell grew up in Southport and joined the academy at Premier League side Everton at age 11. For his first two seasons he played as a goalkeeper. Switching to left back, he progressed through the ranks to the club's U18 team, making his debut early in the 2008–09 season. He made 19 Premier Academy League appearances for the U18 team during the 2008–09 season and made his reserve team debut in a 2–0 Premier Reserve League North defeat to Manchester United on 16 April 2009. Bidwell's progression saw him sign a scholarship deal in the summer of 2009. Bidwell received his maiden call up to the first team for a dead rubber Europa League group stage game at home to BATE Borisov on 17 December 2009 and played the full 90 minutes of the 1–0 defeat. With that appearance, he broke the record as Everton's youngest ever player to play in a European game. Bidwell played solely for the U18s and reserves during the 2010–11 season, making 21 and 12 appearances respectively and captained the U18s to the Premier Academy League title. For his efforts, Bidwell was named Everton's 2010–11 Academy Player of the Year award. Bidwell received a squad number, but failed to receive a call into a first team during the 2011–12 season and departed on loan for the rest of the campaign on 24 November 2011. He spent almost the entire 2012–13 season away on loan and departed the club on 17 June 2013, having made just one first team appearance. He made nearly 100 appearances and scored seven…

Bidwell represented England at age-group level from U16 through to U19. He made his U16 debut in England's opening 2009 Montaigu Tournament group stage match versus Russia on 8 April 2009. He scored England's third goal in a 3–1 win. He scored his second goal for the U16s with a penalty in a 3–0 win over Ivory Coast in England's final group match. He played in the final, in which England beat Germany in a penalty shootout. Bidwell won the 2009 Nordic Tournament with the U17s and scored the winning goal in extra time in the final as England fought back from two goals down to beat Scotland 3–2. Bidwell made his only appearance for the U18s in a friendly against Italy on 12 April 2011. He replaced George Thorne at half time during the 1–1 draw. Bidwell made his U19 debut in a 1–0 friendly win over Denmark on 10 November 2011. He started the match and was replaced by Todd Kane at half time. He made a half-time substitute appearance for Everton teammate Luke Garbutt in a 2–1 friendly win over Czech Republic on 28 February 2012. Bidwell was called up for England's 2012 European U19 Championship elite qualification games and played the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 win over Switzerland on 30 May 2012. Despite being uncapped at U20 level, Bidwell was named in Peter Taylor's provisional squad for the 2013 U20 World Cup, but was left out of the final squad.

As of match played on 16 September 2026

Everton U18

Premier Academy League: 2010–11 Brentford

Football League One second-place promotion: 2013–14 Coventry City

EFL Championship: 2025–26 England U16

Montaigu Tournament: 2009 England U17

Nordic Tournament: 2009 Individual

Everton Academy Player of the Year: 2010–11 Football League Young Player of the Month: January 2014 PFA Team of the Year: 2013–14 League One PFA Community Champion: 2015–16