English football competition for under-18 sides
Football tournament
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 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 Aston Villa , who defeated Liverpool 2–1 in the 2021 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 [ ]
Chelsea players celebrating winning the 2015–16 FA Youth Cup.
^ Prior 2018–19, the finals were played over two legs; the aggregate scores are listed.
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
4
1960, 1961, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
1958, 2008, 2013, 2020
Arsenal
7
2
1966, 1971, 1988, 1994, 2000, 2001, 2009
1965, 2018
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
West Ham United
3
4
1963, 1981, 1999
1957, 1959, 1975, 1996
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
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 [ ]
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 [ ]
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 [ ]
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 [ ]
1990s [ ]
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 [ ]
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
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 [ ]
Billy Gilmour
MF
Chelsea
2018
Scotland
v Netherlands , 2 June 2021
Reece James
DF
Chelsea
2017, 2018
England
v Wales , 8 October 2020
Neco Williams
DF
Liverpool
2019
Wales
v Finland , 3 September 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
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
See also [ ]
References [ ]
External links [ ]
show Reserve and youth football in England
National teams League competitions Cup competitions Other