Portsmouth’s recent record in Youth Cup has been modest.
Chelsea v Portsmouth
The FA Youth Cup sponsored by E.ON
Fifth Round Proper
7pm, Thursday 28 January 2010
Stamford Bridge, Chelsea FC
Click here for fixtures
The U18 teams of two of the Premier League’s traditional ‘Big Four’, Chelsea and Manchester United, are in FA Youth Cup action on Thursday night. Chelsea host Portsmouth at Stamford Bridge and United go to Blackburn Rovers, with both ties in the Fifth Round.
It doesn’t follow, of course, that a club’s youth side will be as successful as the seniors but both Chelsea and United have reached one of the last three FA Youth Cup Finals. United, winners a record nine times, lost to Liverpool on penalties at the end of the second leg of the 2007 Final, watched by more than 24,000 fans at Old Trafford. A year later, two-time winners Chelsea made it through to a Final that Manchester City won 4-2 on aggregate.
Pompey, who are the Blues’ opponents at the Bridge at 7pm on Thursday, have failed to make an impact in The FA Youth Cup in recent years. In the last ten they haven’t managed to progress beyond the Fourth Round.
Here are details of their Cup exits (home team first)…
Season 2008-09 – Portsmouth 0-1 Manchester City (Fourth Round)
Season 2007-08 – Portsmouth 1-2 Plymouth Argyle (Fourth Round)
Season 2006-07 – Portsmouth 1-5 Norwich City (Third Round)
Season 2005-06 – Portsmouth 0-2 Millwall (Third Round)
Season 2004-05 – Ipswich Town 3-2 Portsmouth (Third Round)
Season 2003-04 – Portsmouth 1-2 Newcastle United (Third Round)
Season 2002-03 – Portsmouth 1-3 Tottenham Hotspur (Third Round)
Season 2001-02 – Crewe Alexandra 1-0 Portsmouth (Third Round)
Season 2000-01 – Nottingham Forest 2-1 Portsmouth (Fourth Round)
Season 1999-00 – Portsmouth 0-2 Wimbledon (Fourth Round)
Three of those home defeats drew crowds of less than 300 to Fratton Park. Pompey have never reached The Final but they’ve already made it through to the Fifth Round and perhaps this could be their year.
