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.

FA Youth Cup
Founded1952
Region England
 Wales
Number of teams474
Current championsLiverpool (4th title) (2018–19)
Most successful club(s)Manchester United (10 titles)
WebsiteThe FA Youth Cup
2019–20 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 ten times. The current holders are Liverpool.

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
Chelsea players celebrating winning the 2015–16 FA Youth Cup.
For squads see FA Youth Cup Finals.
  • Finals were played over two legs; the aggregate scores are given below.
Year Winners Score Runners–up Notes
1952–53 Manchester United 9–3 Wolverhampton Wanderers
1953–54 Manchester United 5–4 Wolverhampton Wanderers
1954–55 Manchester United 7–1 West Bromwich Albion
1955–56 Manchester United 4–3 Chesterfield
1956–57 Manchester United 8–2 West Ham United
1957–58 Wolverhampton Wanderers 7–6 Chelsea
1958–59 Blackburn Rovers 2–1 West Ham United
1959–60 Chelsea 5–2 Preston North End
1960–61 Chelsea 5–3 Everton
1961–62 Newcastle United 2–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers
1962–63 West Ham United 6–5 Liverpool
1963–64 Manchester United 5–2 Swindon Town
1964–65 Everton 3–2 Arsenal
1965–66 Arsenal 5–3 Sunderland
1966–67 Sunderland 2–0 Birmingham City
1967–68 Burnley 3–2 Coventry City
1968–69 Sunderland 6–3 West Bromwich Albion
1969–70 Tottenham Hotspur 1–1 Coventry City replay 2–2, 2nd replay 1–0
1970–71 Arsenal 2–0 Cardiff City
1971–72 Aston Villa 5–2 Liverpool
1972–73 Ipswich Town 4–1 Bristol City
1973–74 Tottenham Hotspur 2–1 Huddersfield Town
1974–75 Ipswich Town 5–1 West Ham United
1975–76 West Bromwich Albion 5–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers
1976–77 Crystal Palace 1–0 Everton
1977–78 Crystal Palace 1–0 Aston Villa
1978–79 Millwall 2–0 Manchester City
1979–80 Aston Villa 3–2 Manchester City
1980–81 West Ham United 2–1 Tottenham Hotspur
1981–82 Watford 7–6 Manchester United
1982–83 Norwich City 6–5 Everton Aggregated extra time
1983–84 Everton 4–2 Stoke City
1984–85 Newcastle United 4–1 Watford
1985–86 Manchester City 3–1 Manchester United
1986–87 Coventry City 2–1 Charlton Athletic
1987–88 Arsenal 6–1 Doncaster Rovers
1988–89 Watford 2–1 Manchester City Aggregated extra time
1989–90 Tottenham Hotspur 3–2 Middlesbrough
1990–91 Millwall 3–0 Sheffield Wednesday
1991–92 Manchester United 6–3 Crystal Palace
1992–93 Leeds United 4–1 Manchester United
1993–94 Arsenal 5–3 Millwall
1994–95 Manchester United 2–2 Tottenham Hotspur Aggregated (no extra time played); 4–3 on penalty shoot-out
1995–96 Liverpool 4–1 West Ham United
1996–97 Leeds United 3–1 Crystal Palace
1997–98 Everton 5–3 Blackburn Rovers
1998–99 West Ham United 9–0 Coventry City
1999–2000 Arsenal 5–1 Coventry City
2000–01 Arsenal 6–3 Blackburn Rovers
2001–02 Aston Villa 4–2 Everton
2002–03 Manchester United 3–1 Middlesbrough
2003–04 Middlesbrough 4–0 Aston Villa
2004–05 Ipswich Town 3–2 Southampton Aggregated extra time
2005–06 Liverpool 3–2 Manchester City
2006–07 Liverpool 2–2 Manchester United Aggregated extra time; 4–3 on penalty shoot-out
2007–08 Manchester City 4–2 Chelsea
2008–09 Arsenal 6–2 Liverpool
2009–10 Chelsea 3–2 Aston Villa
2010–11 Manchester United 6–3 Sheffield United
2011–12 Chelsea 4–1 Blackburn Rovers
2012–13 Norwich City 4–2 Chelsea
2013–14 Chelsea 7–6 Fulham
2014–15 Chelsea 5–2 Manchester City
2015–16 Chelsea 4–2 Manchester City
2016–17 Chelsea 6–2 Manchester City
2017–18 Chelsea 7–1 Arsenal
2018–19 Liverpool 1–1[lower-alpha 1] Manchester City After extra time; 5–3 on penalty shoot-out
  1. Only one match was played in the final.

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 9 3 1960, 1961, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 1958, 2008, 2013
Arsenal 7 2 1966, 1971, 1988, 1994, 2000, 2001, 2009 1965, 2018
Liverpool 4 3 1996, 2006, 2007, 2019 1963, 1972, 2009
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
Tottenham Hotspur 3 2 1970, 1974, 1990 1981, 1995
Ipswich Town 3 0 1973, 1975, 2005
Manchester City 2 8 1986, 2008 1979, 1980, 1989, 2006, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019
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

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.

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  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  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  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 May 1, 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

1990s
Player Pos Club Year National team International debut
Leon Osman MF Everton 1998  England v  Sweden 14 November 2012
Richard Garcia FW West Ham United 1999  Australia v  South Africa 19 August 2008
Adam Newton DF West Ham United 1999  Saint Kitts and Nevis v  Barbados 13 June 2004
Francis Jeffers FW Everton 1998  England v  Australia 12 February 2003
Paul Robinson GK Leeds United 1997  England v  Australia 12 February 2003
Michael Carrick MF West Ham United 1999  England v  Mexico 25 May 2001
Joe Cole MF West Ham United 1999  England v  Mexico 25 May 2001
Alan Smith FW Leeds United 1997  England v  Mexico 25 May 2001
Stephen McPhail MF Leeds United 1997  Republic of Ireland v  Scotland 30 May 2000
Richard Dunne DF Everton 1998  Republic of Ireland v  Greece 26 April 2000
Gareth Roberts DF Liverpool 1996  Wales v  Finland 29 March 2000
Matt Jones MF Leeds United 1997  Wales v   Switzerland 9 October 1999
Jonathan Woodgate DF Leeds United 1997  England v  Bulgaria 9 June 1999
Jamie Carragher DF Liverpool 1996  England v  Hungary 29 April 1999
David Johnson FW Manchester United 1995  Jamaica v  Trinidad and Tobago 28 March 1999
Alan Maybury DF Leeds United 1997  Republic of Ireland v  Czech Republic 25 March 1998
Michael Owen FW Liverpool 1996  England v  Chile 11 February 1998
Nicky Butt MF Manchester United 1992  England v  Mexico 29 March 1997
Philip Mulryne MF Manchester United 1995  Northern Ireland v  Belgium 11 February 1997
David Beckham MF Manchester United 1992  England v  Moldova 1 September 1996
Phil Neville DF Manchester United 1995  England v  China PR 23 May 1996
Simon Davies MF Manchester United 1992  Wales v   Switzerland 24 April 1996
Harry Kewell MF Leeds United 1997  Australia v  Chile 24 April 1996
Robbie Savage FW Manchester United 1992  Wales v  Albania 15 November 1995
Gary Neville DF Manchester United 1992  England v  Japan 3 June 1995
Keith Gillespie MF Manchester United 1992  Northern Ireland v  Portugal 7 September 1994
Ryan Giggs FW Manchester United 1992  Wales v  Germany 16 October 1991

2000s
Player Pos Club Year National team International debut
Gilles Sunu FW Arsenal 2009  Togo v  Gambia 12 October 2018
Tom Heaton GK Manchester United 2003  England v  Australia 27 May 2016
Abdisalam Ibrahim MF Manchester City 2008  Norway v  Moldova, 15 January 2014
Oğuzhan Özyakup MF Arsenal 2009  Turkey v  Latvia, 28 May 2013
Emmanuel Frimpong MF Arsenal 2009  Ghana v  Sudan, 24 March 2013
Daniel Sturridge FW Manchester City 2008  England v  Sweden, 15 November 2011
Jay Bothroyd FW Arsenal 2000  England v  France, 13 November 2010
Dedryck Boyata DF Manchester City 2008  Belgium v  Austria, 12 October 2010
Phil Bardsley DF Manchester United 2003  Scotland v  Spain, 11 October 2010
Jack Wilshere MF Arsenal 2009  England v  Hungary, 11 August 2010
Adam Johnson MF Middlesbrough 2004  England v  Mexico, 24 May 2010
Vladimír Weiss MF Manchester City 2008  Slovakia v  Iceland, 12 August 2009
Ryan McGivern DF Manchester City 2008  Northern Ireland v  Scotland, 20 August 2008
James Morrison MF Middlesbrough 2003, 2004  Scotland v  Czech Republic, 30 May 2008
Paul McShane DF Manchester United 2003  Republic of Ireland v  Czech Republic, 11 October 2006
Wayne Henderson GK Aston Villa 2002  Republic of Ireland v  Sweden, 1 March 2006
Kieran Richardson MF Manchester United 2003  England v  United States, 28 May 2005
Steven Davis MF Aston Villa 2002  Northern Ireland v  Canada 9 February 2005
Chris Brunt MF Middlesbrough 2003, 2004  Northern Ireland v   Switzerland, 18 August 2004
Graham Barrett FW Arsenal 2000  Republic of Ireland v  Jamaica 3 June 2004

2010s
Player Pos Club Year National team International debut
Fikayo Tomori DF Chelsea 2015, 2016  England v  Kosovo, 17 November 2019
Mason Mount MF Chelsea 2016, 2017  England v  Bulgaria, 7 September 2019
Callum Hudson-Odoi MF Chelsea 2017, 2018  England v  Czech Republic, 22 March 2019
Nathaniel Chalobah MF Chelsea 2012  England v  Spain, 15 October 2018
Dominic Solanke FW Chelsea 2014, 2015  England v  Brazil, 14 November 2017
Ruben Loftus-Cheek MF Chelsea 2012, 2014  England v  Germany, 10 November 2017
Tammy Abraham FW Chelsea 2015, 2016  England v  Germany, 10 November 2017
Mukhtar Ali MF Chelsea 2015  Saudi Arabia v  Jamaica, 7 October 2017
Ola Aina DF Chelsea 2014, 2015  Nigeria v  Zambia, 7 October 2017
George Saville MF Chelsea 2010  Northern Ireland v  Germany, 5 October 2017
Jérémie Boga FW Chelsea 2014, 2015  Ivory Coast v  Guinea, 4 June 2017
Nathan Aké DF Chelsea 2012  Netherlands v  Morocco, 31 May 2017
Michael Keane DF Manchester United 2011  England v  Germany, 22 March 2017
Jesse Lingard FW Manchester United 2011  England v  Malta, 8 October 2016
Tom Lawrence MF Manchester United 2011  Wales v  Andorra, 13 October 2015
Aziz Deen-Conteh DF Chelsea 2010  Sierra Leone v  Malawi, 7 October 2015
Andreas Christensen DF Chelsea 2014  Denmark v  Montenegro, 8 June 2015
Aliu Djaló MF Chelsea 2010  Guinea-Bissau v  Zambia, 4 June 2016
Paul Pogba MF Manchester United 2011  France v  Georgia, 22 March 2013
Gökhan Töre MF Chelsea 2010  Turkey v  Estonia, 10 August 2011
Jeffrey Bruma DF Chelsea 2010  Netherlands v  Ukraine, 12 August 2010
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See also

References
  1. FA Youth Cup history: TheFA.com website.
  2. Inglis, Simon. Football League and the men who made it. Harper Collins. p. 205. ISBN 978-0002182423.
  3. Match report Archived 21 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine on Arsenal F.C. official website.
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