The appointment further strengthens the Academy, following a season in which graduates contributed over 25 per cent of first-team minutes and five homegrown players made their debuts for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side.
Cochrane joins from The FA, where he was Youth Development Phase Lead as well as England Under-17s lead coach. He will now oversee the development of Manchester United’s Professional Development Phase players (U17-U23), working closely with both Neil Wood and Neil Ryan to maximise the potential of each individual player.
Justin’s playing career saw him represent clubs throughout the Football League, including Crewe Alexandra and Rotherham United, as well as earning international caps with Antigua and Barbuda. His coaching journey began at just 17 when he created a local team whilst playing for Queens Park Rangers. While playing in the National League, Cochrane began to complete his coaching badges and then joined Tottenham Hotspur, where he spent nine seasons coaching throughout the Academy system, reaching the position of assistant head of player and coach development while also working with the Under-23s side.
He joined The FA in 2018 and subsequently completed his UEFA Pro Licence whilst taking charge of England’s Under-15s, before progressing as lead coach of the Under-16s and then Under-17s. Cochrane recently spent time with AFC Wimbledon as first-team coach, helping the club to secure their League One status in the second half of the 2020/21 season.
Mark Dempsey will continue in his role as senior Academy coach to oversee the core coaching team across the Academy.
