Stoke City U18s v West Ham United U18s
FA Youth Cup fifth round, bet365 Stadium, Friday 3 February, 7pm
West Ham United U18s seek to continue their run in the 2022/23 FA Youth Cup with a fifth-round test away to Stoke City.
The Irons are in outstanding form this season, winning 12 of their 13 U18 Premier League South matches, and sit 13 points at the top of the table, although a 2-1 defeat to Southampton last time out ended the side's 100 per cent run in the league.
In the FA Youth Cup, Kevin Keen's side secured their place in the fifth round thanks to a late 1-0 win away to U18 Professional Development League North side Burnley, with George Earthy's first-time finish on 89 minutes putting the Hammers in the last 16.
Now the youngsters will look to claim a place in the quarter-finals for the first time since the 2004/05 season, when they take on a Potters team who beat Manchester United in the last round.
Read on for all you need to know about the FA Youth Cup fifth round tie…
Tickets…
Tickets will be available on the gate on Friday, priced at £3 for Adults and £1 for Concessions.
For fans driving to the game, the postcode for your satnav is: ST4 4EG. Free parking is available on Friday for supporters at the West 1 and West 2 car parks.
How to Follow…
Coverage of Friday's FA Youth Cup clash between Stoke City and West Ham United will be available via a live blog at whufc.com, starting an hour before kick-off at 6pm.
Full highlights will be available on Saturday morning on the Club’s YouTube channel, on the official West Ham United app, and at whufc.com.
Reaction from head coach Keen and the squad will also be available across Friday evening and Saturday on the Club website.
Team News…
This season’s FA Youth Cup is open for players who were born on or after 1 September 2004, and before 1 September 2007.
Lead coach Keen opted for a younger starting XI in Saturday's defeat to Southampton and could return to a similar side that saw off Burnley in the fourth-round last Tuesday.
As such, the likes of Ollie Scarles, Lewis Orford, Patrick Kelly and Mason Terry could be recalled to the side.
First-year professionals like George Earthy, Regan Clayton and Kaelan Casey have played with the U18s for the FA Youth Cup and could be involved again on Friday; albeit the U21s also have a Premier League International Cup fixture against AS Monaco on the same day.
Forward Callum Marshall is the leading scorer for the U18s this season with 13 goals in 12 matches in all competitions, while captain Gideon Kodua has also chipped in with ten goals. Mubama and Favour Fawunmi each have six goals this season at U18s level, while Orford has netted five.
Our FA Youth Cup history…
West Ham United have won the FA Youth Cup on three occasions since the tournament’s inception. The first came in the 1962/63 season when the Hammers defeated Liverpool 6-5 across two-legs, before a second trophy was lifted in the 1980-81 campaign after a 2-1 aggregate win over Tottenham Hotspur.
The most recent win came in the 1998/99 season when the young Irons beat Coventry City 9-0 across two legs with a team that contained the likes of Joe Cole, Michael Carrick, captain Izzy Iriekpen and Bertie Brayley.
The Hammers have also been runners-up on four occasions; in 1957, 1959, 1975 and 1996.
However, the U18s have not reached the last eight of the competition since the 2004/05 season, a run they are looking to end with a win over Stoke City on Friday.
Opposition…
Stoke City earned their spot in the FA Youth Cup fifth round on the back of an excellent 1-0 win over Manchester United.
Josh Bickerton's free-kick was the difference between the Potters and the Red Devils in mid-January, with Stoke also getting a 5-1 win over Blackpool to kick start their 2022/23 Cup campaign.
Stoke play in the U18 Premier League North and currently sit fourth in the division, on 19 points from 12 games played. They have six wins, one draw and five defeats.
A Category One Academy, Stoke City U18s are coached by former Port Vale and Crewe Alexandra defender Richard Walker.
