English football competition for under-18 sides
Football tournament
The Football Association Youth Challenge Cup is anEnglish football competition run byThe 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 thePremier League , but attracts over 400 entrants from throughout the country.
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 theFootball League duringWorld 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 areAston Villa , who defeatedManchester City 3–1 in the 2025 final.
The tournament has served as a springboard into the professional game for many top British players. The likes ofGeorge 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 , andGareth Bale had all won the tournament or played in the final. The 1991–92 FA Youth Cup famously spawned the rise ofFergie's Fledglings .
Chelsea players celebrating winning the 2015–16 FA Youth Cup. ^ Prior to 2018–19, finals were played over two legs; the aggregate scores are listed. Performance by clubs [ edit ] Club Title(s) Runners-up Seasons won Seasons runner-up 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 Aston Villa 5 3 1972, 1980, 2002, 2021, 2025 1978, 2004, 2010 Manchester City 4 9 1986, 2008, 2020, 2024 1979, 1980, 1989, 2006, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2025 West Ham United 4 4 1963, 1981, 1999, 2023 1957, 1959, 1975, 1996 Liverpool 4 4 1996, 2006, 2007, 2019 1963, 1972, 2009, 2021 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 Leeds United 2 1 1993, 1997 2024 Newcastle United 2 0 1962, 1985 Norwich City 2 0 1983, 2013 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
Including qualifying and preliminary round matches.
Multiple hat-tricks [ edit ] Players who have scored multiple hat-tricks in the FA Youth Cup. As players are usually only eligible for the FA Youth Cup for one or two seasons (rather than indefinitely/their whole career), scoring multiple hat-tricks is an even more exceptional feat.
The highest attendance at an FA Youth Cup match was 67,492 for theManchester United vsNottingham Forest final atOld Trafford on 11 May 2022, which Manchester United won 3–1.[ 46]
International capped winners [ edit ] Tables are ordered by date of first cap. 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
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
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 Perryman MF Tottenham Hotspur 1970 England v Iceland , 2 June 1982 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
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
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 , 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
Player Pos Club Year National team International debut Gilles Sunu FW Arsenal 2009 Togo v Gambia , 12 October 2018 Kieran Trippier DF Manchester City 2008 England v France , 13 June 2017 Tom Heaton GK Manchester United 2003 England v Australia , 27 May 2016 Abdisalam Ibrahim MF Manchester City 2008 Norway v Moldova , 15 January 2014 Justin Hoyte MF Arsenal 2001 Trinidad and Tobago v Romania , 4 June 2013 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 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 Graham Barrett FW Arsenal 2000 Republic of Ireland v Jamaica , 3 June 2004
Player Pos Club Year National team International debut Trevoh Chalobah DF Chelsea 2016, 2017 England v Senegal , 10 June 2025 Juan Castillo DF Chelsea 2016, 2017 Dominican Republic v Puerto Rico , 22 March 2025 Vítězslav Jaroš GK Liverpool 2019 Czech Republic v Malta , 7 June 2024 Jay Dasilva DF Chelsea 2014, 2015, 2016 Wales v Gibraltar , 6 June 2024 Marcin Bułka GK Chelsea 2017, 2018 Poland v Latvia , 21 November 2023 Yasser Larouci DF Liverpool 2019 Algeria v Egypt , 16 October 2023 Abdi Sharif MF Liverpool 2019 Somalia v Niger , 14 October 2023 Tariq Lamptey DF Chelsea 2018 Ghana v Brazil , 23 September 2022 Marc Guéhi DF Chelsea 2017, 2018 England v Switzerland , 26 March 2022 Conor Gallagher MF Chelsea 2017, 2018 England v San Marino , 14 November 2021 Iké Ugbo FW Chelsea 2016, 2017 Canada v Costa Rica , 12 November 2021 Will Keane MF Manchester United 2011 Republic of Ireland v Portugal , 11 November 2021 Billy Gilmour MF Chelsea 2018 Scotland v Netherlands , 2 June 2021 Kasey Palmer MF Chelsea 2014, 2015 Jamaica v United States , 25 March 2021 Rohan Ince MF Chelsea 2010 Montserrat v Antigua and Barbuda , 24 March 2021 Ravel Morrison FW Manchester United 2011 Jamaica v Saudi Arabia , 14 November 2020 Kevin Wright DF Chelsea 2013 Sierra Leone v Mauritania , 9 October 2020 Reece James DF Chelsea 2017, 2018 England v Wales , 8 October 2020 Neco Williams DF Liverpool 2019 Wales v Finland , 3 September 2020 Sam Johnstone GK Manchester United 2011 England v Romania , 6 June 2020 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, 2013 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 2013, 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
Player Pos Club Year National team International debut Cieran Slicker GK Manchester City 2020 Scotland v Iceland , 6 June 2025 Taylor Harwood-Bellis DF Manchester City 2020 England v Republic of Ireland , 17 November 2024 Morgan Rogers MF Manchester City 2020 England v Greece , 14 November 2024 Maxi Oyedele MF Manchester United 2022 Poland v Portugal , 12 October 2024 Kobbie Mainoo MF Manchester United 2022 England v Brazil , 23 March 2024 Cole Palmer FW Manchester City 2020 England v Malta , 17 November 2023 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 Alexander Robertson MF Manchester City 2020 Australia v Ecuador , 24 March 2023
Reserve and youth football in England
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