Early experience for youngsters in Under-18 trip to Barnsley

A busy week for our Academy continued on Wednesday afternoon as a particularly young side travelled to Barnsley to complete our Under-18 Premier League Cup campaign.

Already eliminated from the competition, the final group stage game presented an opportunity for a large number of schoolboy players to get an early experience of the demands of competitive Under-18 football – indeed, seven members of our starting line-up were Under-16s players, with a further two coming off the bench in the second half.

Barnsley’s experience and physical advantage ultimately told, as they converted a 1-0 half-time lead into a 5-0 victory at their training ground.

Fabio Jalo was responsible for four goals, with Rafael Monteiro also on the scoresheet.

After making wholesale changes off the back of last weekend’s excellent win at Fulham in the Under-18 Premier League, coach Stuart Lewis will again shuffle his pack for the visit of West Ham United in our last league game at this level before Christmas on Saturday (11am UK, live on SPURSPLAY), with several first and second-year scholars set to return.

We then host Brighton & Hove Albion in a key Under-17 Premier League Cup fixture next Tuesday to round off our youth team schedule for 2023, knowing victory will see us progress to the quarter-finals as we seek to retain the trophy.