To win in the FA youth cup against School of Excellence or Academy teams a non league youth team needs to be exceptional. (No disrespect meant here). It is usually a team that is put together over a few seasons with a good considerate manager and a group of players which comes around every blue moon!
Usually, school of Excellence teams / Academy teams are led by an ex pro who does not like losing! (After all its their job)
I can remember a number of years ago Nantwich Town youth team (Josh Hancock was part of that team). (Speak to your own George Heslop for a reference about how good Nantwich's youth team was) were drawn against Wrexham in the 1st round of the FA Youth Cup. A certain Joey Jones (ex Liverpool defender) was their manager at the time. We beat them 2 1 and Mr above was not best pleased to say the least!!!
Round 2 saw Nantwich draw a home tie against your favourite foe Macc Town ha !!!!!!
The game drew 429 fans and Nantwich came out on top again 2 1 . Prior to the game we went to watch Macc in a school of excellence game and they had a really tall black lad as Centre Forward who was really good. We spent hours in training defending corners and free kicks and guess what he didn't play ha!
Round 3 was an entirely different opposition. It was Everton away at Goodison!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG!!!!!!!!!!!
In between the game at Goodison 2 of our players signed for Crewe Alex so they could not play against Everton. Such a pity!
The town rallied and coach loads of Dabbers made the trip to Goodison Park. There was over 1,000 there. Despite bossing the game for 70 minutes in front of David Moyes we lost the match 2 0..............
The sad thing is most of those Everton academy players today do not play in league football or probably not even non league football.
A moment in history!! Silent But Ledley
Nope, that's not even remotely correct. I'm bored at work and just looked it up. All but three of that team are still in football, most at professional level. As follows.
Connor Roberts – In the Welsh Prem with TNS
Lee Mcardle – Suffered a career ending injury, now coaches for Everton
Jake Bidwell – QPR
Moses Barnett – Caernarfon Town
Shane Duffy – Brighton
Hope Akpan – Bradford City
Tom Mcready – Colwyn Bay (briefly played for Alty shortly after his release from Everton)
James Wallace – Fleetwood Town
Lewis Codling – Skelmersdale (think he had a trial with us a way back)
Conor Mcaleny – Fleetwood Town
Nathan Craig – Caernarfon (scored a hattrick for them last week)
Subs
Aristote Nisala – Ipswich Town
Gerard Kinsella – Warrington Town
Karl Shepphard – Cork City
Luke Powell - Fitness coach at Curzon Ashton
Georg Krenn - Coaches in Austria