FA Youth Cup
The Football Association Youth Challenge Cup is an English football competition run by The Football Association for under-18 sides. Only those players between the age of 15 and 18 on 31 August of the current season are eligible to take part. It is dominated by the youth sides of professional teams, mostly from the Premier League, but attracts over 400 entrants from throughout the country.
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| Founded | 1952 |
|---|---|
| Region | |
| Current champions | West Ham United (4th title) |
| Most successful club(s) | Manchester United (11 titles) |
| Website | The FA Youth Cup |
 2023–24 FA Youth Cup | |
At the end of the Second World War the FA organised a Youth Championship for County Associations considering it the best way to stimulate the game among those youngsters not yet old enough to play senior football. The matches did not attract large crowds but outstanding players were selected for Youth Internationals and thousands were given the chance to play in a national contest for the first time. In 1951 it was realised that a competition for clubs would probably have a wider appeal. The FA Youth Challenge Cup (1952–53 season) was restricted to the youth teams of clubs, both professional and amateur, who were members of the FA.[1]
The notion of a youth cup was thought of by Sir Joe Richards, the late President of the Football League. He initially put forward the idea to the league clubs but they were not enthused; Richards then took the idea to the Football Association, who liked the idea and created the competition in the same year.[2] The Youth Cup trophy itself was purchased by the Football League during World War II. However, they never found a use for it. Football League secretary Fred Howarth found the trophy in a cupboard at the Starkie Street office and handed it over to the Football Association.[2]
Manchester United are the competition's most successful club, winning it eleven times. The current holders are West Ham United, who defeated Arsenal 5–1 in the 2023 final.
The tournament has served as a springboard into the professional game for many top British players. The likes of George Best, John Barnes, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Gary Neville, Frank Lampard, Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Joe Cole, Wayne Rooney, Theo Walcott, Daniel Sturridge, Jack Wilshere, and Gareth Bale had all won the tournament or played in the final. The 1991–92 FA Youth Cup famously spawned the rise of Fergie's Fledglings.
Finals
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- Prior to 2018–19, finals were played over two legs; the aggregate scores are listed.
Winners table
| Club | Wins | Runners-up | Winning years | Runners-up years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester United | 11 | 4 | 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1964, 1992, 1995, 2003, 2011, 2022 | 1982, 1986, 1993, 2007 |
| Chelsea | 9 | 4 | 1960, 1961, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 | 1958, 2008, 2013, 2020 |
| Arsenal | 7 | 3 | 1966, 1971, 1988, 1994, 2000, 2001, 2009 | 1965, 2018, 2023 |
| West Ham United | 4 | 4 | 1963, 1981, 1999, 2023 | 1957, 1959, 1975, 1996 |
| Liverpool | 4 | 4 | 1996, 2006, 2007, 2019 | 1963, 1972, 2009, 2021 |
| Aston Villa | 4 | 3 | 1972, 1980, 2002, 2021 | 1978, 2004, 2010 |
| Manchester City | 3 | 8 | 1986, 2008, 2020 | 1979, 1980, 1989, 2006, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 |
| Everton | 3 | 4 | 1965, 1984, 1998 | 1961, 1977, 1983, 2002 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 3 | 2 | 1970, 1974, 1990 | 1981, 1995 |
| Ipswich Town | 3 | 0 | 1973, 1975, 2005 | |
| Crystal Palace | 2 | 2 | 1977, 1978 | 1992, 1997 |
| Sunderland | 2 | 1 | 1967, 1969 | 1966 |
| Millwall | 2 | 1 | 1979, 1991 | 1994 |
| Watford | 2 | 1 | 1982, 1989 | 1985 |
| Newcastle United | 2 | 0 | 1962, 1985 | |
| Norwich City | 2 | 0 | 1983, 2013 | |
| Leeds United | 2 | 0 | 1993, 1997 | |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1 | 4 | 1958 | 1953, 1954, 1962, 1976 |
| Coventry City | 1 | 4 | 1987 | 1968, 1970, 1999, 2000 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 1 | 3 | 1959 | 1998, 2001, 2012 |
| West Bromwich Albion | 1 | 2 | 1976 | 1955, 1969 |
| Middlesbrough | 1 | 2 | 2004 | 1990, 2003 |
| Burnley | 1 | 0 | 1968 | |
| Chesterfield | 0 | 1 | 1956 | |
| Preston North End | 0 | 1 | 1960 | |
| Swindon Town | 0 | 1 | 1964 | |
| Birmingham City | 0 | 1 | 1967 | |
| Cardiff City | 0 | 1 | 1971 | |
| Bristol City | 0 | 1 | 1973 | |
| Huddersfield Town | 0 | 1 | 1974 | |
| Stoke City | 0 | 1 | 1984 | |
| Charlton Athletic | 0 | 1 | 1987 | |
| Doncaster Rovers | 0 | 1 | 1988 | |
| Sheffield Wednesday | 0 | 1 | 1991 | |
| Southampton | 0 | 1 | 2005 | |
| Sheffield United | 0 | 1 | 2011 | |
| Fulham | 0 | 1 | 2014 | |
| Nottingham Forest | 0 | 1 | 2022 |
Attendance record
The highest attendance at an FA Youth Cup match was 67,492 for the Manchester United vs Nottingham Forest final at Old Trafford on 11 May 2022, which Manchester United won 3–1.[3]
International capped winners
- Tables are ordered by date of first cap.
1950s
| Player | Pos | Club | Year | National team | International debut |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keith Newton | DF | Blackburn Rovers | 1959 |  England |
v  West Germany, 23 February 1966 |
| Shay Brennan | FW | Manchester United | 1955 |  Republic of Ireland |
v  Spain, 5 May 1965 |
| Fred Pickering | DF | Blackburn Rovers | 1959 | England |
v  United States, 27 May 1964 |
| Mike England | DF | Blackburn Rovers | 1959 |  Wales |
v .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Northern Ireland, 11 April 1962 |
| Phil Kelly | DF | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1958 | Republic of Ireland |
v Wales, 28 September 1960 |
| Joe Carolan | MF | Manchester United | 1956 | Republic of Ireland |
v  Sweden, 1 November 1959 |
| Wilf McGuinness | MF | Manchester United | 1954, 1955, 1956 | England |
v Northern Ireland, 4 October 1958 |
| Bobby Charlton | FW | Manchester United | 1954, 1955, 1956 | England |
v  Scotland, 19 April 1958 |
| David Pegg | FW | Manchester United | 1953, 1954 | England |
v Republic of Ireland, 19 May 1957 |
| Billy Whelan | FW | Manchester United | 1953 | Republic of Ireland |
v  Netherlands, 10 May 1956 |
| Duncan Edwards | MF, FW | Manchester United | 1953, 1954, 1955 | England |
v Scotland, 2 April 1955 |
1960s
| Player | Pos | Club | Year | National team | International debut |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jimmy Rimmer | GK | Manchester United | 1964 | England |
v  Italy, 28 May 1976 |
| Billy Hughes | FW | Sunderland | 1967 | Scotland |
v Sweden, 16 April 1975 |
| Dave Thomas | FW | Burnley | 1968 | England |
v  Czechoslovakia, 30 October 1974 |
| Dennis Yaager | MF | Everton | 1965 | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Australia |
v  Iran, 4 November 1970 |
| Sammy Nelson | FW | Arsenal | 1966 | Northern Ireland |
v England, 21 April 1970 |
| Pat Rice | DF | Arsenal | 1966 | Northern Ireland |
v  Israel, 10 September 1968 |
| Bobby Moncur | FW | Newcastle United | 1962 | Scotland |
v Netherlands, 30 May 1968 |
| David Sadler | FW | Manchester United | 1964 | England |
v Northern Ireland, 22 November 1967 |
| Peter Bonetti | GK | Chelsea | 1960 | England |
v  Denmark, 3 July 1966 |
| Terry Venables | MF | Chelsea | 1960, 1961 | England |
v .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Belgium, 21 October 1964 |
| George Best | FW | Manchester United | 1964 | Northern Ireland |
v Wales, 15 April 1964 |
| Bobby Tambling | FW | Chelsea | 1960 | England |
v Wales, 21 November 1962 |
1970s
| Player | Pos | Club | Year | National team | International debut |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terry Fenwick | DF | Crystal Palace | 1977, 1978 | England |
v Wales, 2 May 1984 |
| Derek Statham | DF | West Bromwich Albion | 1976 | England |
v Wales, 23 February 1983 |
| Steve Lovell | FW | Crystal Palace | 1978 | Wales |
v  Soviet Union, 18 November 1981 |
| Kevin O'Callaghan | MF | Millwall | 1979 | Republic of Ireland |
v Czechoslovakia, 29 April 1981 |
| Noel Brotherston | MF | Tottenham Hotspur | 1974 | Northern Ireland |
v Scotland, 16 May 1980 |
| Jerry Murphy | MF | Crystal Palace | 1977, 1978 | Republic of Ireland |
v Wales, 11 September 1979 |
| Kenny Sansom | DF | Crystal Palace | 1977 | England |
v Wales, 23 May 1979 |
| Peter Nicholas | MF | Crystal Palace | 1978 | Wales |
v Scotland, 19 May 1979 |
| John Wark | MF | Ipswich Town | 1975 | Scotland |
v Wales, 19 May 1979 |
| John Gidman | DF | Aston Villa | 1972 | England |
v  Luxembourg, 30 March 1977 |
| Brian Little | FW | Aston Villa | 1972 | England |
v Wales, 21 May 1975 |
| Graeme Souness | MF | Tottenham Hotspur | 1970 | Scotland |
v  East Germany, 30 October 1974 |
1980s
| Player | Pos | Club | Year | National team | International debut |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David James | GK | Watford | 1989 | England |
v  Mexico, 29 March 1997 |
| Andy Hinchcliffe | DF | Manchester City | 1986 | England |
v  Moldova, 1 September 1996 |
| David White | MF | Manchester City | 1986 | England |
v Spain, 9 September 1992 |
| Mark Walters | MF | Aston Villa | 1980 | England |
v  New Zealand, 3 June 1991 |
| Jeremy Goss | MF | Norwich City | 1983 | Wales |
v  Iceland, 1 May 1991 |
| Steve Morrow | DF | Arsenal | 1988 | Northern Ireland |
v  Uruguay, 19 May 1990 |
| Pat Scully | DF | Arsenal | 1988 | Republic of Ireland |
v  Tunisia, 19 October 1988 |
| Paul Gascoigne | MF | Newcastle United | 1985 | England |
v Denmark, 14 September 1988 |
| Tony Rees | FW | Aston Villa | 1980 | Wales |
v  Norway, 6 June 1984 |
| John Barnes | FW | Watford | 1982 | England |
v Northern Ireland, 28 May 1983 |
1990s
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2000s
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2010s
2020s
| Player | Pos | Club | Year | National team | International debut |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oscar Bobb | FW | Manchester City | 2020 | Norway |
v  Cyprus, 12 October 2023 |
| Callum Marshall | FW | West Ham United | 2023 | Northern Ireland |
v Denmark, 16 June 2023 |
| Alejandro Garnacho | FW | Manchester United | 2022 |  Argentina |
v Australia, 15 June 2023 |
See also
References
- FA Youth Cup history: TheFA.com website.
- Inglis, Simon. Football League and the men who made it. Harper Collins. p. 205. ISBN 978-0002182423.
- Stone, Simon (11 May 2022). "Record crowd watch Man Utd win FA Youth Cup". BBC Sport. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
External links
- The FA Youth Cup at The Football Association official website