The Newcastle United Under-18s are bidding for a place in the last eight of the FA Youth Cup tonight in London.

Joe Joyce – Newcastle Youth Manager

The youngsters take on a talented West Ham side at Upton Park tonight – kick off 7pm.

Newcastle reached the last four two seasons running a few years back, and were knocked out at this stage stage last year.

However, our talented youngsters will hope to do better, when they play the Londoners tonight, who have always had a good youth policy.

Newcastle manager Chris Hughton said:

“I was delighted for the lads against Reading,”  “It brings a feel-good factor to the club when your junior side do well in this competition.”

“It’s another tough tie for them at my former club and they will no doubt have a strong youth side.”

“But we’ve shown that we have some real quality and I wish the lads all of the very best ahead of the game.”

And coach Alan Thompson knows a lot of the youngsters, since he’s played them in the reserves this season.

Alan said today:

“It will be difficult but our lads have had to do it the hard way in the previous rounds so there’s no reason why we can’t do it again.”

“I’ve worked with most of the boys in the squad and I know there’s some real talent in there.”

“I think they’ll have a real good go and we’re all hoping they can make it through.”

Youth team manager Joe Joyce, who was born in Consett, will pick a starting eleven from the following squad:

Jak Alnwick, Ben Robinson, Jeff Henderson, Phil Airey, James Tavernier, Sam Adjei, Stephen Folan, Patrick Nzuzi, Paul Dummett, Greg McDermott, Conor Newton, Brad Inman, Ryan McGorrigan, Ryan Page, Aaron Spear, Dan Williams, Liam Henderson, Dan Taylor

And if we can win tonight, the lads will face a Quarter Final home tie with either Crystal Palace or Hull City.

Let’s hope the lads can get through and we’ll have a report of the match this evening.

We won the Youth Cup in 1962 with Bobby Moncur and David Craig in the side and back in 1985 with a certain  Paul Gascoigne in that side.

It’s interesting that the FA Youth Cup was started in 1953 and for the first 5 years Manchester United won every title – that was the time of the burgeoning Busby Babes. Since then the Red Devils have won another four titles.

It would be  a great time for Newcastle to register their 3rd title.

Howay The Lads!!