Man Utd’s Youth Cup win at packed Old Trafford showed club values – academy boss

Manchester United’s teenagers brought hope at the end of a tough season and academy boss Nick Cox believes the FA Youth Cup triumph at a rocking Old Trafford shows the “embers still burn bright” for a club built on youth and success.

This has been the Red Devils’ worst season of the Premier League era, leading to criticism and scrutiny for the way first-team operations have been run from ownership level to the dressing room.

But not everything at United requires widespread change and the continued focus on developing talent bore fruit on Wednesday as a record-breaking crowd of 67,492 cheered the Under-18s to Youth Cup glory.

Alejandro Garnacho’s brace sealed a 3-1 win against Nottingham Forest after Joshua Powell had cancelled out Rhys Bennett’s opener for United, with the club celebrating winning the competition for a record 11th time.

“This football club is built on success and youth,” United’s head of academy Cox said. “I feel like the fans turned up to show that those embers still burn bright.

“It doesn’t matter, you know, in the short term what goes off. In the long term, those things don’t leave this football club.

“I think the fans turned up and reminded us that this place is built on success and it’s built on youth.

“They were proud and we’re really proud. It was incredible. I’ve never witnessed anything like it and I don’t think we ever will do again.”

Cox was blown away by the support at Old Trafford on Wednesday, saying he does not believe any other club “could replicate what we’ve just witnessed”.

That “immense” backing helped United to glory and provided a backdrop that will help players go onto make their professional bow, with Garnacho the only member of the squad to make his senior debut for the club.

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