Tomorrow (Friday) afternoon our youth team take on AFC Fylde live on the Chelsea website and the 5th Stand app, as the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup resumes. We have not had many ties against non-league sides in recent years, but there have been some memorable ones against Chipstead, Stevenage and Dartford.
The visit of Fylde will be the first time we meet at this level, with kick-off at 12.30pm tomorrow afternoon. Here, we take a look back at some non-league Youth Cup ties of the past...
Chipstead 0-9 Chelsea12 November 1997
A Chelsea team managed by Ted Dale thumped Chipstead by nine goals in the 1997/98 Youth Cup campaign. Among the starters that day was a young Jon Harley, now development squad assistant coach, who occupied the left of midfield. After the first-round win the young Blues made it to the quarter-finals where they lost in the replay against Blackburn after a draw in the first game.
Chelsea Paul Nicholls; Steven Osbourne, Matthew Strode, Stephen Broad, Danny Slatter; Rob Wolleaston, Shane Demetrious, Stephen Hampshire, Jon Harley; John Rattray, Sam ParkinScorers Demetriour, Rattray (3), Parkin, Slatter, Broad, Hampshire, Wolleaston
Stevenage 0-1 Chelsea13 December 2007
Paul Clement’s boys met Stevenage Borough in the 2007/08 third round at Broadhall Way. A single Adam Phillip goal in the 43rd minute was enough to secure passage into the fourth round where Shrewsbury Town waited. Phillip was introduced for Gael Kakuta in the 37th minute, making an instant and match-winning impact. Eventually the Young Blues lost 4-2 on aggregate in the final against Manchester City.
Chelsea Rhys Taylor; Jacob Mellis, Jeffery Mellis, Patrick van Aanholt, Ben Gordon; Michael Woods, Lee Sawyer, Sergio Tejera; Gael Kakuta, Miroslav Stoch, Frank NoubleScorer Phillip 43
Chelsea 4-0 Dartford12 December 2013
The most recent non-league side’s youth team we met during the FA Youth Cup was Dartford eight years ago. Chelsea were three goals ahead at the break and had all but confirmed a fourth-round tie against Sheffield Wednesday. We were eventual winners of the competition beating Fulham 7-6 on aggregate in the two-legged final.
Chelsea Mitchell Beeney; Fankaty Dabo, Jonathan Muleba, Dion Conroy, Kevin Wright; Charly Musonda, George Cole, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Jeremie Boga, Reece Mitchell, Dominic Solanke.Scorers Solanke (3), Dabo