The draw for the Third Round of the FA Youth Cup was made today and, like the parent competition at senior level, the big clubs enter the fray as they embark upon another campaign for the country’s most prestigious junior age group trophy.
Chelsea have been drawn at home to one of four non-league clubs, with either Grays Athletic, Uxbridge, Dartford or Christchurch set to take on a team which has lifted the silverware twice in the last five years as well as finishing runners-up and semi-finalists once apiece. The fixture will be scheduled when an opponent has been decided, and the fixture will likely take place at Staines Town’s Wheatsheaf Park in early December.
It will be the first time the Blues face non-league opposition in the Youth Cup since 2007 when they beat Stevenage. With respect to the quartet of potential foes, Academy Manager Neil Bath and Under-18 Coach Adi Viveash will doubtless view this as a fine opportunity to blood some of the younger generation onto the bigger stage, as they’ve indicated they intend to do this season.
You can, as always, keep up to date with all things Youth Cup and the rest of the Chelsea academy here throughout the season, as well as on Twitter @chelseayouth.