The FA Youth Cup actually kicked off back in September with the same Extra Preliminary rounds experienced by senior footballers up and down the country dreaming of making their mark on the FA Cup. Generations of teenaged hopefuls have done the same in the formative years of their careers as the junior age competition has, for more than sixty years, provided a stage upon which some can make the first of many impressions, whilst others will fleetingly feel the warmth of the spotlight upon them before fading away into different career paths.
Just like the main competition, the real interest in the Youth Cup begins at the Third Round Proper stage, when the ‘big boys’ enter for the first time. Despite the re-categorisation of 44 so-called ‘elite’ clubs into Categories One and Two under the Elite Player Performance Plan since 2011, the FA have retained a similar structure and introduce Premier League and Championship clubs at this stage just the same. It ultimately changes very little, but the likes of Sheffield United, Bolton Wanderers and Milwall – two of which have already exited the cup – are forced into First Round action because of their first team counterparts, whilst Burnley and Bournemouth – who exist outside of the top two categories – are handed a bye to the last 64 because their adult counterparts have made it into the top flight.
In any event it might not make all that much difference. Twelve of the last thirteen editions have been won by one of Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal or Liverpool, with the other being claimed by Norwich in one of the greatest all-time upsets against a Chelsea side in the middle of a run of five consecutive Finals; winning the other four. As the first three-peat winners since the famous Busby Babes of Man Utd in the 1950s, the Blues will go into the 2016-17 tournament as understandable favourites, and the winner will likely come from a pool of six outstanding candidates.
In this preview, we’ll look at the strengths and weaknesses of each of those, whilst then delving into the best of the rest in a competition that always provides captivating football, no shortage of drama, and guarantees to leave its mark with the stars of tomorrow hitting the headlines.
The Favourites
Chelsea’s run of success has been unrivalled in their era and, whilst there are endless discussions about the pathways into the first team at Stamford Bridge, it remains undeniable that they have been the standard-bearers on the pitch at Under-18 level for the past decade. Lifting the famous silver trophy five times and reaching the final twice more in that time, they go into each new campaign expecting to find themselves at the business end of affairs come April and May and, invariably, they end up doing so.
They return six key contributors from the 2015-16 vintage and a clutch of secondary characters who will be expected to step up and become major players this time around. Dujon Sterling’s versatility allows him to be a force in any capacity on the right or up front as goals in both the Semi Finals and Final last year will attest to, and manager Jody Morris will lean heavily on attacking midfielders Mason Mount and Jacob Maddox to make a difference.
The real strength of the squad, however, might be in defence, where Trevoh Chalobah, Joseph Colley and Josh Grant comprise a centre-back unit as formidable as any in the country. They might lack the prolific goalscoring of a Dominic Solanke or a Tammy Abraham (although Iké Ugbo will beg to differ) but this year’s class is robust, determined and will prove very hard to dethrone.
Key Stat: Chelsea have won 41 of their last 50 matches in the FA Youth Cup, scoring 127 goals along the way.
Where Chelsea have led, City have endeavoured not only to follow, but surpass. Coming into their own financial bounty five years after the Blues, they too have set about establishing a world-class academy structure complete with an elite training facility and ultra-lofty ambitions, and having taken over the mantle from their London rivals as principal winners of the majority national junior age group trophies, they want to add the Youth Cup to the list; particularly after losing the last two Finals to Chelsea themselves.
They certainly have the squad for it. Unbeaten in Under-18 league football this season, they average more than three goals per game and have so much attacking depth that their third-string front line is probably better than what most clubs can put out at all. Phil Foden and Jadon Sancho have caught the eye most often this autumn and each add something to a class of just four that played a significant part last time around. That could be their only weakness – a perceived inexperience on this stage – and a tricky-looking Round Three date away to Reading will be a stern test of their credentials, but to doubt them would be foolish. They’re in this to win it.
Key Stat: The Citizens are unbeaten at home in Under-18 football since April 2015, when they were defeated by Chelsea in the First Leg of the 2014-15 Youth Cup Final.
What a difference a year makes. Twelve months ago the Reds were toiling at the foot of the Northern section of the Under-18 Premier League and just about scraping past Queens Park Rangers in Round Three, only to exit after a 5-1 humbling at home by Chelsea. Yet there were fresh shoots to bloom from that disappointment as Marcus Rashford exploded into super-stardom for club and country, and a radical overhaul of the academy set-up at Carrington has yielded instant results.
In hindsight it comes as no surprise; no other club bears United’s record of youth production and integration, and a down year was always likely to be followed by a return to normal service. Still, the cavalier nature in which they have torn through their fixture list so far has earned them many admirers, with former Tottenham Hotspur coach Kieran McKenna conducting the league’s leading goalscorers. From Indy Boonen to Nishan Burkart and from Angel Gomes to DJ Buffonge, an avalanche of goals have followed them around the country this season and, with a point to prove after their last campaign, they’re as dangerous as any club.
Key Stat: United have tallied four or more goals in seven matches this season, more than any other club.
Liverpool’s recent Youth Cup record is actually something of a disappointment, making it no further than the Quarter Finals in the last three years and racking up just one Semi Final appearance since finishing as runners-up to Arsenal in 2009. But, with two of this year’s squad having featured for Jurgen Klopp’s first team this season and the rest of the team keeping good pace in the league, they have the ability to clear those last couple of troublesome hurdles and return to full prominence.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ben Woodburn are amongst Melwood’s most prized products of a generation and will be relied upon to lead by example, whilst Glen McAuley’s prolific campaign ear-marks him for a key role too. Manager Neil Critchley is unafraid to mix things up tactically and has a deep and versatile squad ideal for approaching everything the Youth Cup can throw at a manager.
Key Stat: Ben Woodburn became Liverpool’s third-youngest debutant ever when he came on as a substitute against Sunderland on November 26th, aged just 17 years and 42 days.
It’s been a strange few years for Arsenal at academy level. Top of the class and the team to beat for much of the 2000s, they’ve found it hard to keep up with the competition ever since, winning fewer than one-third of their Under-18 league fixtures in the last two years. They did make it to the Semi Finals of the Youth Cup last season though and, under the tutelage of new manager Kwame Ampadu, are hopeful of a similar run this time around.
Striker Eddie Nketiah and playmaker Reiss Nelson are central to those aspirations; they can win a match in a moment and Nketiah in particular has an outstanding goalscoring record in the 2016 calendar year. They might have to simply score their way to victory though, with questionable defensive depth, but the array of attacking talent they have should make that very much possible.
Key Stat: Eddie Nketiah has scored 33 goals in his last 34 Under-18 outings.
Part of Arsenal’s apparent demise can be attributed to Tottenham’s rise; the two clubs battle it out for the best local talent and, increasingly, it has been John McDermott and company who have won that particular battle. Trailing just behind Chelsea and Man City as regular providers of players to the England national teams, they reached the Semi Final two seasons ago before losing out to Chelsea, and although a surprisingly early exit to Middlesbrough followed, they will want to prove that was little more than anomaly.
Marcus Edwards is the one to watch after making his first-team debut earlier this season, but they have potentially key influences throughout the squad and might be as well-balanced as any of the favourites. Midfielder Jack Roles has reached double-figures for goals already after a hat-trick at Southampton on November 26th and it’s that sort of impact they’ll require in order to go deep once again.
Key Stat: Eighteen different Tottenham Hotspur players won an England youth cap in 2015-16, behind Chelsea (27) and Manchester City (23).
The Dark Horses
Of course, the winner needn’t come from the aforementioned half a dozen contenders. Plenty of others have enough about them to mount a challenge if they get a little bit of luck and none more so than Everton. Finishing as league winners and then runners-up twice in the last three seasons, it was a surprise to see them fall at the first hurdle in the cup a year ago but they’re routinely very hard to beat, playing a gritty and mature game and have the goalscoring of Fraser Hornby and Shayne Lavery up front.
Blackburn Rovers have twice been beaten Semi Finalists in the last five years and can maybe be best described as a poor man’s Everton. They’re typically big and strong and hard to break down and, although they can often lack a genuine goalscorer up front, Joe Rankin-Costello brings plenty to the table whilst Daniel Butterworth and Bradley Lynch have shown signs of potential since August.
Reading have found themselves at the business end of the cup more than a few times but face a very tough ask against Manchester City in mid-December. If they come through that one though, they’ll feel there’s nobody they can’t beat, and as they sit in second place in the league, they’ll go into the match with confidence. Ben House, a summer signing from Aldershot, has scored seven times already and has been ably supported by midfielders Jordan Holsgrove and Joel Rollinson.
The Best of Category Two and Beyond
Part of the attraction of the FA Cup and the FA Youth Cup is the opportunity for the so-called lesser clubs to prove themselves against their more illustrious foes. At youth level, it’s a chance for teams to show that, but for the financial backing, they too could compete on an even footing with Category One clubs, and from Luton Town reaching the last eight in ’15-16; Birmingham City, Crewe Alexandra and Nottingham Forest doing the same a year earlier, and Huddersfield Town the year before that, you don’t have to look very far for examples of it happening.
Nottingham Forest have been both Quarter and Semi Finalists in the past ten years and are routinely involved in end-of-season silverware chases at development level. In Ben Brereton and Virgil Gomis they possess the PDL2’s leading Under-23 and Under-18 goalscorers, marking them out as a very dangerous opponent.
Sheffield United sit above them in the Under-18 standings and in Jordan Hallam, a recent first-team debutant, they have a forward with 32 goals to his name at academy level in 2016. Runners-up to Manchester United in 2011, they’ve had two years of mostly wins and will consider themselves to upset the odds more than once if given the opportunity to.
It would be remiss of us not to mention Sheffield Wednesday at the same time though, particularly when noting that in George Hirst and Jordan Lonchar they have two of the top five league goalscorers in 2016-17. Like a host of Category Two sides, if they get a favourable draw or two and build up some momentum, there’s no knowing how far it could take them.
Finally, a word for AFC Wimbledon. A memorable run a year ago came to an end in Round Five at home to Chelsea but they gave the eventual winners an almighty scare along the way, and knocked off Newcastle United and Watford en route to the last sixteen. They’re up to their old tricks again this time, hammering North Greenford United and Bristol Rovers to take their place in Round Three against Huddersfield. Definitely one to keep an extra-close eye on.
Youthhawk, as always, will have you covered from start to finish, with dedicated match pages, statistics, curated video playlists, highlights and more from not just the FA Youth Cup itself, but every notable Under-23 and Under-18 club competition and plenty more besides. Make sure you follow on Twitter, Instagram and Youtube @youthhawk and get involved!
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