Cherish FA Youth Cup, Urges Heskey

A date with either Manchester City or Crewe Alexandra awaits the winners in the semi-finals, and Heskey, whose footsteps the scholars are hoping to follow, thinks it will be a wonderful experience. 

“As young lads, you go to the first team stadiums to watch the games and you aspire to be like those first team players,” he told LCFC.com. “So to actually play on the pitch that they play on week in, week out is an achievement that they should really cherish and look forward to.

“I’m sure there are a lot of lads who are just starting out in their careers and hoping to use this as a chance to excel. This is a platform that you can use to put yourself out there and do that. 

“Over the years Leicester City have always given young players the opportunity to break into the first team, and that’s absolutely massive. 

“Especially when you’re coming through as a youth team player, you know that as long as you keep your focus on doing well, then you’ve always got that opportunity to make that step, just like Andy King has, just like Jeff Schlupp has, just like Liam Moore has and just like I did. 

“So that’s what they’re going to be looking at and the FA Youth Cup is a wonderful platform for them to use to perform well.” 

The 37-year-old, who enjoyed a highly successful spell with the Leicester City and England, as well as Liverpool, Birmingham City, Aston Villa and Wigan, is now on the books of Neil Lennon-managed Bolton Wanderers. 

And despite that illustrious trophy-laden career, Heskey was keen not to play down the importance of the FA Youth Cup, which he feels is as significant as ever. 

“Over the years some people have said that maybe the FA Cup itself has last a bit of the attraction it used to have, but it will never lose its attraction when it comes to the FA Youth Cup and youth football. I never had the chance to win it, but I’ve spoken to a lot of players who have won it and they still class that as one of their greatest achievements, so it still has that pull. 

“The main FA Youth Cup game I can remember was when I would have been 16 and we played against Aston Villa at Filbert Street. That was a great experience, although it wasn’t the best result as we lost in the end, but it was just the experience that was great. 

“It’d be great to get a good number of fans down there. The first time I played in front of a proper crowd was in that FA Youth Cup game against Aston Villa at Filbert Street. Actually going out there at 16, being involved and playing on that pitch with all that support is just a phenomenal experience to take into the start of your career.” 

Leicester City Under-18s vs. Birmingham City Under-18s (KO 7pm) takes place at King Power Stadium on Wednesday 25 February. For full ticketing and parking details, .