Aston Villa coach Jimmy Shan is hoping his players take the opportunity to impress when they run out at Villa Park in the 2025 FA Youth Cup Final.
The Young Villans host Manchester City in Sunday’s Final, looking to secure their first Youth Cup title since 2021 and for a sixth time as a club.
And with a bumper crowd expected at the game, Shan is expecting a memorable occasion for all concerned.
“It’s going to be fantastic,” he said, in the official match programme for the Final.
“I’ve got a lot of family and friends coming, and I know a lot of the boys will have siblings coming along too, so it’s going to be a great occasion, and also, most importantly, a special opportunity for the boys to play in a stadium like Villa Park in such a pressurised game.
“It’s a competition that everyone knows the world over and it’s one that we take a huge amount of pride in preparing for because it really is the best versus the best.
“In the MU18s age group, you have players moving up, going out on loan, but when it comes to the FA Youth Cup, it’s a competition that everyone wants to be involved in.
“You’re going to see the best that Aston Villa and Manchester City have to offer. It’s going to be a fantastic occasion and one that these boys are going to remember for the rest of their lives.”
The Villa team have already sampled success on home turf this season, after knocking-out Manchester United in the semi-final under the pressure situation of a penalty shootout.
They come up against a team with a strong recent history in the competition, defending their title after a 4-0 win over Leeds United in 2024 and also having won it in 2020.
And Shan is hoping the Final gives his players a platform to impress and hopefully pave a way to senior football for them.
“That’s the be all and end all, isn’t it really. It’s okay for us to be successful at this level and for us to make it to the Final, but ultimately, the job of the academy, and my role as an Academy coach, is to get players in and around the first team at senior level,” he explained.
“We’re quite fortunate that Unai (Emery) is very receptive to younger players going across and working with them, and if they do well, they get called back.
“The pathway is strong at the minute, so there are players going from the MU18s to the MU21s and then into senior football.
“That has been fantastic to see and a real source of inspiration for those young players coming through. “
You can watch Monday’s Final live, with the game kicking-off at 3pm BST.
You can also order a copy of the matchday programme here.
