FA Youth Cup
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Founded | 1952 |
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Region | ![]() ![]() |
Number of teams | 474 |
Current champions | Chelsea (2015–16) |
Most successful club(s) | Manchester United (10 wins) |
Website | The FA Youth Cup |
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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.
At the end of the Second World War the FA had decided to organise 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 ten times. The current holders are Chelsea.
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.
Previous finals
- For squads see FA Youth Cup Finals.
- Finals were played over 2 legs; the aggregate scores are given below.
Winners table
Club | Wins | Runners-up | Winning years | Runners-up years |
---|---|---|---|---|
Manchester United | 10 | 4 | 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1964, 1992, 1995, 2003, 2011 | 1982, 1986, 1993, 2007 |
Chelsea | 7 | 3 | 1960, 1961, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016 | 1958, 2008, 2013 |
Arsenal | 7 | 1 | 1966, 1971, 1988, 1994, 2000, 2001, 2009 | 1965 |
West Ham United | 3 | 4 | 1963, 1981, 1999 | 1957, 1959, 1975, 1996 |
Everton | 3 | 4 | 1965, 1984, 1998 | 1961, 1977, 1983, 2002 |
Aston Villa | 3 | 3 | 1972, 1980, 2002 | 1978, 2004, 2010 |
Liverpool | 3 | 3 | 1996, 2006, 2007 | 1963, 1972, 2009 |
Tottenham Hotspur | 3 | 2 | 1970, 1974, 1990 | 1981, 1995 |
Ipswich Town | 3 | 0 | 1973, 1975, 2005 | |
Manchester City | 2 | 6 | 1986, 2008 | 1979, 1980, 1989, 2006, 2015, 2016 |
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 |
Leeds United | 2 | 0 | 1993, 1997 | |
Newcastle United | 2 | 0 | 1962, 1985 | |
Norwich City | 2 | 0 | 1983, 2013 | |
Coventry City | 1 | 4 | 1987 | 1968, 1970, 1999, 2000 |
Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1 | 4 | 1958 | 1953, 1954, 1962, 1976 |
Blackburn Rovers | 1 | 3 | 1959 | 1998, 2001, 2012 |
Middlesbrough | 1 | 2 | 2004 | 1990, 2003 |
West Bromwich Albion | 1 | 2 | 1976 | 1955, 1969 |
Burnley | 1 | 0 | 1968 | |
Birmingham City | 0 | 1 | 1967 | |
Bristol City | 0 | 1 | 1973 | |
Cardiff City | 0 | 1 | 1971 | |
Charlton Athletic | 0 | 1 | 1987 | |
Chesterfield | 0 | 1 | 1956 | |
Doncaster Rovers | 0 | 1 | 1988 | |
Fulham | 0 | 1 | 2014 | |
Huddersfield Town | 0 | 1 | 1974 | |
Preston North End | 0 | 1 | 1960 | |
Sheffield United | 0 | 1 | 2011 | |
Sheffield Wednesday | 0 | 1 | 1991 | |
Southampton | 0 | 1 | 2005 | |
Stoke City | 0 | 1 | 1984 | |
Swindon Town | 0 | 1 | 1964 |
FA Cup and FA Youth Cup double
Only five clubs have ever achieved the FA Cup and FA Youth Cup "double".
Chelsea F.C are the only club to achieve this twice.
- Arsenal (1970–71)
- Everton (1983–84)
- Coventry City (1986–87)
- Liverpool (2005–06)
- Chelsea (2009–10 and 2011–12)
Chelsea (2009–10) and Arsenal won the top flight in their double cup years.
Attendance record
The highest attendance at an FA Youth Cup match was 38,187 for the first leg of the Arsenal against Manchester United semi-final at the Emirates Stadium on 14 March 2007, which Arsenal won 1–0.[3]
International capped winners
- Tables are ordered by date of first cap.
2010s
Player | Pos | Club | Year | National team | International debut |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tom Lawrence | MF | Manchester United | 2011 | ![]() |
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Andreas Christensen | DF | Chelsea | 2014 | ![]() |
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Aliu Djaló | MF | Chelsea | 2010 | ![]() |
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Paul Pogba | MF | Manchester United | 2011 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Gökhan Töre | MF | Chelsea | 2010 | ![]() |
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Jeffrey Bruma | DF | Chelsea | 2010 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
2000s
1990s
1980s
Player | Pos | Club | Year | National team | International debut |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
David James | GK | Watford | 1989 | ![]() |
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Andy Hinchcliffe | DF | Manchester City | 1986 | ![]() |
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David White | MF | Manchester City | 1986 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Mark Walters | MF | Aston Villa | 1980 | ![]() |
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Jeremy Goss | MF | Norwich City | 1983 | ![]() |
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Steve Morrow | DF | Arsenal | 1988 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Pat Scully | DF | Arsenal | 1988 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Paul Gascoigne | MF | Newcastle United | 1985 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Tony Rees | FW | Aston Villa | 1980 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
1970s
Player | Pos | Club | Year | National team | International debut |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Terry Fenwick | DF | Crystal Palace | 1977, 1978 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Derek Statham | DF | West Bromwich Albion | 1976 | ![]() |
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Steve Lovell | FW | Crystal Palace | 1978 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Kevin O'Callaghan | MF | Millwall | 1979 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Noel Brotherston | MF | Tottenham Hotspur | 1974 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Jerry Murphy | MF | Crystal Palace | 1977, 1978 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Peter Nicholas | MF | Crystal Palace | 1978 | ![]() |
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John Wark | MF | Ipswich Town | 1975 | ![]() |
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John Gidman | DF | Aston Villa | 1972 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Brian Little | FW | Aston Villa | 1972 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Graeme Souness | MF | Tottenham Hotspur | 1970 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
1960s
Player | Pos | Club | Year | National team | International debut |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jimmy Rimmer | GK | Manchester United | 1964 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Billy Hughes | FW | Sunderland | 1967 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Dave Thomas | FW | Burnley | 1968 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Dennis Yaager | MF | Everton | 1965 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Sammy Nelson | FW | Arsenal | 1966 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Pat Rice | DF | Arsenal | 1966 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Bobby Moncur | FW | Newcastle United | 1962 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
David Sadler | FW | Manchester United | 1964 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Peter Bonetti | GK | Chelsea | 1960 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Terry Venables | MF | Chelsea | 1960, 1961 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
George Best | FW | Manchester United | 1964 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Bobby Tambling | FW | Chelsea | 1960 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
1950s
Player | Pos | Club | Year | National team | International debut |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Keith Newton | DF | Blackburn Rovers | 1959 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Shay Brennan | FW | Manchester United | 1955 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Fred Pickering | DF | Blackburn Rovers | 1959 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Mike England | DF | Blackburn Rovers | 1959 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Phil Kelly | DF | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1958 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Joe Carolan | MF | Manchester United | 1956 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Wilf McGuinness | MF | Manchester United | 1954, 1955, 1956 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Bobby Charlton | FW | Manchester United | 1954, 1955, 1956 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
David Pegg | FW | Manchester United | 1953, 1954 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Billy Whelan | FW | Manchester United | 1953 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
Duncan Edwards | MF, FW | Manchester United | 1953, 1954, 1955 | ![]() |
v ![]() |
See also
- FA Youth Cup Finals
- FA Cup
- U21 Premier League Cup
- Professional Development League
- Football League Youth Alliance
References
- ^ FA Youth Cup history: TheFA.com website.
- ^ a b Inglis, Simon. Football League and the men who made it. Harper Collins. p. 205. ISBN 978-0002182423.
- ^ Match report on Arsenal F.C. official website.
External links
- The FA Youth Cup at The Football Association official website