Youth & Reserves

A very central part of youth development these days is the utilisation of the loan system. With reserve football in an appalling state, top clubs have increasingly sent their burgeoning talents to needy homes across the footballing world, proving the loaning club with a temporary solution whilst benefitting from their player gaining greater exposure to the professional game. Another fifteen or so Chelsea starlets made the journey out this season,…

For the third straight season, Chelsea’s academy has finished with silverware to add to the trophy cabinet. After the FA Youth Cup in 2009-10 and the Premier Reserve League crown last season, it was the youngsters to the fore once again as the Blues secured a fourth Youth Cup in club history. It was the highlight of another eventful youth season, full of your stereotypical highs and lows, with the…

Chelsea secured their second FA Youth Cup crown in three years last Wednesday night. Nathaniel Chalobah, Lucas Piazon and Jamal Blackman followed in the footsteps of Conor Clifford, Josh McEachran and Gökhan Töre in the 2009-10 season as both groups of Under-18s went on to lift the coveted trophy. Many will look to draw comparisons between the two teams and attempt to conclude if one is better than the other,…

Chelsea won their second FA Youth Cup in three years despite a 1-0 defeat against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Wednesday night. With a sizeable first leg lead in the bag the return fixture was always likely to be underwhelming and so it proved, with a solitary first half strike from Tim Payne decisive on the night, but not enough to turn the tie in Blackburn’s favour. Both teams…

Chelsea’s youth team take on Blackburn Rovers this evening at Ewood Park looking to secure a second FA Youth Cup crown in three years. A 4-0 win in the first leg at Stamford Bridge just shy of three weeks ago makes the Blues overwhelming favourites to lift the trophy but everyone involved with the academy has been keen to avoid complacency, stressing that the tie is not over. What they…

Chelsea ended their 2011-12 reserve campaign with a whimper as they went down 4-1 to Manchester United at a rain-soaked Cobham on Monday afternoon. Goals from Ryan Tunnicliffe, Larnell Cole, Will Keane and Richie De Laet secured an emphatic and deserved win for the Reds, who will play in the National Final against Aston Villa to determine who will de-throne Chelsea as champions. The Blues looked a shadow of the…