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.
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
2000s
| Player |
Pos |
Club |
Year |
National team |
International debut |
| 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 |
| Jay Bothroyd |
FW |
Arsenal |
2000 |
 England |
v  France, 13 November 2010 |
| Dedryck Boyata |
DF |
Manchester City |
2008 |
.svg.png) 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 |
| 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 |
| Adam Johnson |
MF |
Middlesbrough |
2004 |
England |
v  Mexico, 24 May 2010 |
| Chris Brunt |
MF |
Middlesbrough |
2003,2004 |
Northern Ireland |
v  Switzerland, 18 August 2004 |
| 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 |
1990s
1980s
1970s
1960s
1950s
See also
References
External links
|
|---|
| | Seasons |
- 1952–53
- 1953–54
- 1954–55
- 1955–56
- 1956–57
- 1957–58
- 1958–59
- 1959–60
- 1960–61
- 1961–62
- 1962–63
- 1963–64
- 1964–65
- 1965–66
- 1966–67
- 1967–68
- 1968–69
- 1969–70
- 1970–71
- 1971–72
- 1972–73
- 1973–74
- 1974–75
- 1975–76
- 1976–77
- 1977–78
- 1978–79
- 1979–80
- 1980–81
- 1981–82
- 1982–83
- 1983–84
- 1984–85
- 1985–86
- 1986–87
- 1987–88
- 1988–89
- 1989–90
- 1990–91
- 1991–92
- 1992–93
- 1993–94
- 1994–95
- 1995–96
- 1996–97
- 1997–98
- 1998–99
- 1999–00
- 2000–01
- 2001–02
- 2002–03
- 2003–04
- 2004–05
- 2005–06
- 2006–07
- 2007–08
- 2008–09
- 2009–10
- 2010–11
- 2011–12
- 2012–13
- 2013–14
- 2014–15
- 2015–16
|
|---|
| | Finals | |
|---|
|
Reserve and youth football in England |
|---|
| | National teams | |
|---|
| | League competitions | |
|---|
| | Cup competitions | |
|---|
| | Other | |
|---|
|
Wales
2015–16 FA Youth Cup
Andorra, 13 October 2015
Denmark
Montenegro, 8 June 2015
Guinea-Bissau
Georgia, 22 March 2013
Estonia, 10 August 2011
Netherlands
Ukraine, 12 August 2010
New Zealand 3 June 1991
Uruguay 19 May 1990
Tunisia 19 October 1988
Soviet Union 18 November 1981
Luxembourg 30 March 1977
East Germany 30 October 1974
Italy 28 May 1976
Australia
Iran 4 November 1970
Israel 10 September 1968
West Germany 23 February 1966