There is no real question that these are the two truly elite academies in the country at the moment and recent seasons suggest that over half who featured in this final will be heading to the Premier League soon enough.
Aston Villa, with the mercurial Cole Brannigan pulling strings and a stunning Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba effort taking the headlines, pipped Manchester City to lift a fifth FA Youth Cup in their storied history – and the second time since an overhaul in 2019.
Both of these clubs are finding that the tills can ring from the academy and it will be interesting to see how many now break through under either Unai Emery or Pep Guardiola. Or, as has become more prevalent, flourish elsewhere.
Ex-City winger Morgan Rogers wandering onto the pitch with Jacob Ramsey to congratulate Villa’s youngsters is neat proof of that.
Six of the City team to lift this cup in 2020 are in the top flight; two from Villa’s triumphant squad a year later. But Villa are now finding more diamonds with director Mark Harrison at the helm, with the Ramsey brothers, Cameron Archer and Jaden Philogene among those who have made their mark to varying degrees.
Many of James Shan’s heroes were signed from rival clubs. In fact, nine of the starting XI joined from clubs like Luton, Celtic or West Brom.
Aston Villa’s talented Under-18s beat Manchester City 3-1 to win the FA Youth Cup
Cole Brannigan delivered a mercurial display and scored Villa’s second goal
A stunning effort from Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba (middle) restored Villa’s two-goal lead
Villa have stolen a march in the recruitment game, with their two standout performers Brannigan and Jimoh-Aloba from Linfield and the Baggies respectively. Brannigan’s 25-yard volley, after TJ Carroll had equalised following Matty Warhurst’s early opener, will, live long in the memory.
‘Cole’s been special,’ Shan said. ‘The last two goals he’s scored have been breathtaking. Cole’s fantastic, he needs more belief in himself. The core group of this have something special about them.
‘We’ve had nice messages from the boys who won it in 2021. It shows their character that they want to come and show their experiences.’
City – who had won 27 matches in a row leading up to this – had half a dozen starters who were signed too, which once again indicates the fight these elite teams have to beat competition to the best the country has to offer. It’s little wonder that Villa should top the Under-18 south division and City won the north.
Many of these players should turn the clubs a tidy profit. City’s new director of football Hugo Viana was here at Villa Park alongside his predecessor, Txiki Begiristain, and will know all about the value of these players.
‘As a coach you’re in between wanting to win and sometimes being happy to think about improvement of players in a mental way after a result like this,’ City coach Oliver Reiss said. ‘Sometimes you can take a lot of good things.
‘In terms of developing the players these are the games they can learn from. It’s not just talent, it’s performing in front of a crowd. Learning from this game can help them become first team players.’
