We are very much looking forward to the day when our Under 18s will finally get to play their F.A. Youth Cup first round match away to Burton Albion. The fixture had been scheduled for early November but was called off due to the current lockdown restrictions. A new date has yet to be announced.

It was exactly 7 years ago, on 20 November 2013, that our Academy side, managed by former City striker Mark Owen, progressed through to the second round proper of the F.A. Youth Cup for the very first time in our history. There, they faced Sheffield United at Bramall Lane after victories over Ellesmere Rangers, Boldmere St. Michael’s, Rugby Town and Halesowen Town.

It was a bittersweet night for City’s team, which was affiliated to Worcester College of Technology at the time. In front of newly appointed first team manager Nigel Clough and his coaching staff, United’s youngsters completely overwhelmed us and ran out 9-0 winners. Included in their line-up was a 16 year old from Sheffield by the name of Dominic Calvert-Lewin - the very same player who scored on his full England debut against Wales last month.
Needless to say, he was the star of the evening, scoring a hat-trick with goals on 11, 19 and 78 minutes. Jake Eyre, a second-half substitute, also scored a hat-trick. Daniel Cockerline, Ben Whiteman and Jason Paling were United’s other goalscorers.

We started brightly, but United took the lead Calvert-Lewin calmly chipped City goalkeeper Sam Hawker from the edge of the area. Eight minutes later he rose highest to head home an inswinging cross from the left, and it was 3-0 after 34 minutes when Paling and Calvert-Lewin combined down the left-wing to set up Cockerline.

United picked up where they had left off after the break and continued to score at regular intervals. Calvert-Lewin secured his hat-trick in the 78th minute, firing home from inside the penalty area after a cross wasn't cleared properly. Three minutes later Eyre added his third to make it eight, and the final goal came with the last kick of the match.

City’s Jamie Smith was in the starting line-up that night. Here’s what he has to say:
“I was in my first year at college, I played the full 90 minutes. We started well but as soon as they scored the first one - which was a very good finish - they had the momentum. I think we had two good chances during the game, one a free-kick from myself and the other from Jack Brighton, but they were a very hard team to get the ball off. We came in at half time just as it started to snow. In the changing room we all spoke about what had happened in the first half and agreed that we would continue to work, but mostly enjoy the whole moment of it. Overall, it was a fantastic experience.”

We asked Jamie what he thought about Calvert-Lewin:

“Sure, he stood out, but so did another lad called Otis Khan. Both him and Otis were very good, but to be honest I guess they all stood out - they made it all look very easy at times. I can remember the whole experience, so then to go back there again in the F.A. Cup two years later with the first team and make the bench on that occasion was a pretty special for me.”
The full City team that night was: Sam Hawker, Jack Brighton, Jamie Smith, Max Crisp (sub Harley Brewester), Luke Seldon, James Halsall (sub Macauley Finch), Aston Gunter, Dean Waldron, James Lemon, Luke Molloy, Joao Sousa (sub Taylor Pugh). Unused: Charlie Downing, Haydn Morris.

Seven years on, few of the United players involved that night still play professionally. Apart from Calvert-Lewin, we’ve only been able to find Louis Reed (Peterborough) and Otis Khan (Tranmere) in the Football League.

United went onto beat Bolton Wanderers and Millwall – both on penalties – before being knocked out by Everton. Dominic Calvert-Lewin went on loan at Stalybridge Celtic in December 2014 and made his United first team debut in April 2015. After a loan spell at Northampton Town, in August 2016 he joined Everton for a fee of £1.5 million. Meanwhile, he was part of the England national under-20 team that won the 2017 World Cup, scoring in the final. He made his full England debut on 8 October 2020.

Best wishes to everyone connected with our youth team for the Burton game – it’s been a fantastic run so far and it isn’t over yet!

SHEFFIELD UNITED V WORCESTER CITY - FA YOUTH CUP MATCH HIGHLIGHTS