On Sunday, May 23, 2021, Villa took the first gradual steps towards welcoming fans back to Villa Park while the global pandemic grimly continued. 10,000 people—the maximum government regulations allowed—were inside Villa Park to witness Dean Smith’s side secure a 2-1 win over Chelsea and cement a solid 11th-place finish.
For those fans unsuccessful in securing a ticket for the Chelsea game through a ballot process there was another opportunity to return to Villa Park the following day as Villa contested the FA Youth Cup Final, for the first time since 2010. Just under 5000 fans would be able to watch the showpiece event against Liverpool – more seemingly green shoots of recovery as the World tentatively returned to normal.
The Villa academy players had already been thrown into the limelight by the pandemic, after Villa couldn’t field a first team for an FA Cup tie against Liverpool in January of the same year. That winter evening, Louie Barry had captured the imaginations of many a Villa fan and the footballing community with a wonderful equaliser.
Barry would also start the FA Youth Cup Final along with others who has been blooded in that FA Cup match – Kaine Kesler Hayden, Arjan Raikhy and Lamar Bogarde amongst them.
Villa would win the game 2-1 after an electrically pulsating start in B6. Ben Chrisene opened the scoring after just eight minutes before Brad Young doubled their advantage with a penalty four minutes later. Villa, joint-managed by Sean Verity and Liam Bramley then threatened to add more to their tally, smashing the woodwork twice as Liverpool hung on.
From there, the Reds were left with an uphill task but they gave themselves scant hope with just less than 15 minutes remaining when a volley from Melkamu Frauendorf was diverted by Seb Revan into his own goal to set up an interesting finale. But Villa held on for victory, to claim their first FA Youth Cup title since 2002.
Two years on and as the 2022/23 season draws to a close, the World has indeed returned to normal. Whatever that means. And Villa’s youth sides still draw much praise and attention although this season has been a tale of near misses.
The U18 side lost to Tottenham in their Cup final, before the U21 side missed out on promotion in the Premier League 2 after losing in a play off against Leeds. Many of the 2021 Youth Cup team were involved in that play off at Elland Road, so it seems an apt point to review the progress of that Youth Cup team.
I have written here before about the tumultuous journey of academy players and the harsh path they need to take, and the tale of the team that triumphed against Liverpool at Villa Park is certainly no different.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
FILIP MARSCHALL
Successful loan spell at Gateshead, as they won the National League North in 2022. Returned to the same club, again on loan, in January 2023 and has again continued well with Gateshead competing in the FA Trophy Final. Capped at England U19 level. Villa are relatively well stocked with young goalkeepers so remains to be seen how he can muscle into an already crowded scene.
KAINE KESLER HAYDEN
He captained the Youth Cup side and is still viewed by many as the pick of that crop. Hugely successful loan at Swindon, where he was named Young Player of the Season, despite being recalled by Villa halfway through the season. A spell at MK Dons was less notable, although again he played regularly and helped his loan team to a play-off finish. This season, he spent the first half of the term at Huddersfield in the Championship and was popular with fans, but again he was recalled. Regular for the Villa U21 side after that. It feels like a pivotal summer ahead.
LAMAR BOGARDE
Played in central defence for the Villa FA Youth Cup side but now more regarded as a central midfielder. Joined the first team tour to Australia under Steven Gerrard before a loan move to Bristol Rovers. Initially struggled to settle but cemented a position under Joey Barton making seventeen appearances in the second half of the season. Strong and athletic, will be good to see more of the Dutchman next year.
SIL SWINKELS
The other half of Villa’s Dutch centre-back pairing that evening in May Unlike many of his peers, he hasn’t gone out of loan, which perhaps alludes more to an injury record than anything else. I have seen him leave the pitch twice for the U21 side this season: firstly with a head injury that kept him out for a spell, and then more sadly in March with a ruptured ACL that will keep him off the pitch for the foreseeable future.
SEB REVAN
Has captained the U21 side this year and featured regularly on the Premier League bench – but is expected to depart the club this Summer. Another player whose loan moves were mixed – some headline grabbing strikes in an FA Cup run with Grimsby before a solid half season with Hereford. Still only 19, but when you remember Jacob Ramsey is still 21 seems hard to see a progression with Villa.
HAYDEN LINDLEY
Loaned out to Newport but was a disappointing experience, only making a handful of appearances. Another player to captain age group sides at Villa but, again, looks to be departing for a new challenge. I have always seen him as a neat and tidy midfielder but lacking the dynamism to truly stand out.
ARJAN RAIKHY
Following the Youth Cup win Raikhy spent the season on loan – first at Stockport and then Grimsby. Uniquely both those teams won promotion to the football league – with Raikhy playing in Grimbsy’s play off win against Solihull Moors at Wembley. This season has anchored the U21 side and continues to show glimpses of a top player – a fact not lost on Unai Emery who took him to Dubai before the post World Cup resumption. However, it seems he is another of this group that will now seek a fresh start. There is little doubt Raikhy will have a strong professional career, albeit away from Villa.
CARNEY CHUKWUEMEKA
The star of this side. It’s easy to forget how excited Villa fans were about this young man before the anger and disappointment of contract stalling and his ultimate departure. 13 first-team appearances for Villa were not enough to convince him that his future lay elsewhere, and he left for Chelsea, where he has made 11 appearances this term, mostly from the bench. A sad story.
BEN CHRISENE
Athletic and strong Chrisene was another standout in this side. Featured on Premier League benches under Gerrard before a loan move to Kilmarnock. Started very well and was clearly admired north of the border before a serious medial ligament injury in January 2023. Imagine, once rehabilitated Villa will be keen to involve again and review progress.
LOUIE BARRY
Feted as the next big thing when he joined Barcelona in 2019 before Villa brough him to back to these shores. The goal against Liverpool in the COVID-hit FA Cup time is still fondly remembered but loan spells have been frustrating and there are inevitable questions over how far he can progress. Swindon and Salford have seen a stronger side to Barry than Ipswich and MK Dons – although all spells will prove useful for a player who turns 20 next month.
BRAD YOUNG
Back on the goal trail for the U21 side this year, including the play-off defeat. Impressively, he was the top scorer for that side despite being out on loan for the first half of the season. In an increasingly familiar tale, that spell with Ayr was unfruitful, although a marginal improvement on his time with Carlisle in 21/22. A clear eye for goal but issues with his all-round game will mean he is another departing Bodymoor this summer.
Of the substitutes that night, Mamadou Sylla, Karrel Reddin and Paul Appiah have all left Villa for Almeira, Stoke and Leicester respectively. Oliwier Zych has feature regularly for the U21 side this term and is around the first team squad as support.
Aaron Ramsey has had two successful loan spells with Norwich and Middlesbrough this term – the Championship level of those marking him out as at the higher end of this group. Injury has curtailed both of those loan spells however which must be a concern. His goal involvements at both showed huge promise and it is difficult not to imagine he will follow his older brother Jacob into the first team picture.
Tommi O’Reilly has been for me (along with Josh Feeney) the standout of the U21 side this season and is another to have featured for the first team in friendlies and on the bench this year. A real prospect with a good pass and eye for teammates it will be exciting to see how he progresses.
The stark reality of this group of players is that Chukwuemeka is the only one to have made any real impact on the first team Aston Villa squad, and he left because he felt it wasn’t enough. The idea that academies play on the dreams of these young men is true to a point, but all these players know that all the hard work in the world may still lead to divergent paths. The upshot of this is that the Youth Cup winning side will largely be broken up over this Summer as players seek new challenges. Many will still have strong professional careers, but away from Villa.
For them and us we will still have the early summer’s evening in May 2021 when a young team captured the imagination of Villa fans looking for solace in strange times.
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2 Responses
A really interesting and informative article… Keep up the good work.
Fascinating story…it seems a very low conversion rate …begs the question about Return On Investment if we are only getting one out of the whole squad moving up to the big boys teams. Are we worse than comparable clubs?
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