TheManchester City Under 18s squad have won the prestigious FA Youth Cup in fine fashion after cruising past Leeds United 4-0.
The academy-level competition is one of the most highly revered trophies in the English youth ranks, with some of the greatest teams and legendary footballers having first shone on this stage, including the Class of ’92 as well as players like Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Rio Ferdinand, Phil Foden and more.
Ben Wilkinson’s promising young side secured the youth title after a comfortable showing at the Etihad Stadium on Friday night, making this the fourth time they have lifted the trophy, the previous times being 1986, 2008 and most recently in 2020.
Here’s the moment the young ‘Cityzens’ drank in their success.
Commenting on the momentous achievement, Academy Director Thomas Kruecken said of the squad and staff: “This is a fantastic achievement for our Academy. The FA Youth Cup is one of our main targets each season, so to have won the trophy for the fourth time in our history really feels special”.
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“Ben, his staff and all the players deserve huge credit for the way they have played throughout the competition. It’s been a pleasure to watch them grow and develop together and they’ve produced some outstanding football along the way.
“But this trophy belongs to everyone connected to Man City’s Academy. There are so many people who work tirelessly every single day to ensure the Academy environment is as good as it can be – to give our young players a platform to develop and become the best footballers they can.
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“It makes me really proud to see the work our staff do every single day.”
The names on the scoresheet included Justin Oboavwoduo, Stephen Mfuni and Matty Warhurst, who came straight off the bench to grab the fourth and final goal, but this was probably the pick of the bunch from Jaden Heskey, son of former Wigan Athletic, Bolton Wanderers and England striker, Emile:
City are still a fair few short of Manchester United’s record in the competition, having won the tournament 11 times, but with more development and focus on the academy system and club-wide playing principles up and down all age levels ever since Pep Guardiola arrived, this won’t be their last.
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Congrats to the youngsters and be sure to remember those names – we’re sure plenty of them will be lighting up leagues soon enough.
You can watch the highlights from Man City’s U18s’ convincing Youth Cup victory down below or watch back the game in full HERE.
Premier League Darts is returning to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2027
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Premier League Darts is confirmed to be returning to Manchester next year.
Now’s your chance to see the youngest world champion in darts history, AKA Warrington’s very-own Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, show us how it’s done, as next year’s BetMGM Premier League Darts lineup has just been announced this week – with various dates confirmed across 17 different cities in the UK and Europe.
And Manchester is one of those cities, as the AO Arena has shared that they are set to host an evening next April, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
This means that we will be lucky enough to witness the biggest names in world darts all under one roof, including headliners Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries, as well as Littler.
Manchester is the only northern city to get the pleasure of hosting the event next year, as Liverpool is also on the lineup, as is Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle, while elsewhere in the UK, the stars will travel to Glasgow, Birmingham, London, and several other major locations.
BetMGM Premier League Darts is to be held on Thursday 8 April at the AO Arena in Manchester, and to avoid being disappointed, fans are advised to register for presale ticket access.
Following a successful season of events in 2026, tickets are expected to be like gold-dust, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.
To access the first wave of tickets, fans must become an active PDCTV Annual Member before 23:59pm on Friday 9 October. Alternatively, general sale is on Thursday 22 October 2026, but make sure not to hang about.
Featured Image – Sandro Halank (via Wikimedia Commons)
Sport
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has claimed he wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on fans getting to drink alcohol in football stands.
It’s a ban that’s been in place in the top five tiers of men’s football since 1985, when fears over violence and hooliganism were at their height, but now the Prime Minister has raised the question of whether drinking in football stands – or ‘drinking in sight / view of the pitch’, as it’s known formally – is actually unjust, due to the fact that same rules don’t apply to fans of other sports.
“I don’t think it’s fair for football fans to be singled out in that way,” Andy Burnham has declared this week, grabbing headlines in the process.
He continued: “I think that legislation dates to an era where football was very different, and I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination.
“I’m not going to back away from what’s been a long-held view of mine. I don’t see how it can be fair that some supporters of one sport can be treated differently.”
The Prime Minister’s comments have been met with mixed response.
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands / Credit: James Kirkup | Julia Nastogadka (via Unsplash)
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), for example, has very much welcomed the idea, saying that it ‘totally agrees’ the legislation is ‘outdated’ and ‘deserves to be reviewed’.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, said in a statement: “The FSA has always argued that it’s unfair to criminalise football fans for having a pint while watching the match – especially since you can sit in the same seat drinking alcohol whilst watching an Oasis gig or rugby league.”
However, on the flip side, the UK Football Policing Unit said it would be ‘incredibly rash’ to change the rules without proper consultation.
“Other sports simply don’t see the violence and criminal behaviour from their supporters that football does, albeit a minority, with alcohol often playing a significant part in violent and disorderly behaviour,” it said in a statement on the matter.
The Prime Minister did state in his initial proposition though that ‘there are different ways it could be done’, hinting that it could be done ‘on a trial basis’ perhaps.
The English Football League (EFL) added that it would be ‘receptive to discussions around reviewing current legislation and permitting alcoholic drinks within view of the pitch’.
No formal details on a review have been confirmed as of yet, so fans are encouraged to stay tuned for updates in due course.
Danny Jones -
10th May 2024 
