FA Youth Cup Preview: Hull City vs. Cardiff City
Craig Bellamy’s side travel to the KCOM Stadium on Wednesday, December 5th, as Cardiff City start their FA Youth Cup campaign in the third-round of the competition against the Tigers.
The Bluebirds go into the fixture off the back of a hard fought 1-1 draw against Millwall, at Cardiff International Sports Campus on Saturday, December 1st – with Dan Griffiths scoring from the spot to bring City level in the second-half.
Cardiff City last progressed from the third-round in 2015, beating local rivals Bristol City in an emphatic 5-0, which set up a tie against eventual quarter-finalists Liverpool.
Know your Opponent
The Tigers finished 8th last season in PDL2 North with thirty-eight points from eleven wins and five draws but have endured a tough start to the 2018/19 season and are sat at the bottom of the table on five points, having only won one of their first fifteen games.
They were knocked out of the 2017/18 FA Youth Cup at the first time of asking in the third round, losing 3-0 to Bournemouth under the lights at the Vitality Stadium.
Hull City also struggled in the 2016/17 season and their U18 side finished bottom of the league with seven wins from twenty-eight matches. They made it to the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup that season but were knocked out against AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday, 10th January 2017 after a 3-0 defeat.
Travelling to the KCOM for such a big occasion is sure to bring back memories of the first-team’s brilliant 2-0 win over Hull City during the final away game of the 2017/18 campaign set up that epic finale, against Reading.
Backroom Staff
Our opponents are currently managed by the duo of John Anderson and Terry Boyle, who both bring a wealth of experience, with over 800 games between the two coaches.
Boyle is a name that might be recognizable to Cardiff City fans during the 1980s. Having made two appearances at international level for Wales, he also appeared over 160 times for the Bluebirds, scoring seven goals between 1986-1989.
John Anderson was promoted to joint U18 manager in the summer of 2017, having previously overseen their Youth Development Phase. Anderson had a brief spell at the club as a player, making 43 appearances in a black and amber shirt.
Jon Beale is Academy Manager at Hull City and has held the role since November 2016. Prior to joining Hull, Beale spent a number of years at Swansea City’s academy, holding various roles within the set-up during his time at the club. He also manages the U23 side in partnership with Richard Naylor.
Previous Meetings
City have an impressive record against the Tigers in league action, having not lost a game to their counterparts in over two years. The most recent meeting between the two sides was a 3-1 win for the Bluebirds at Cardiff International Sports Campus in August, with Sion Spence, Dan Griffiths and Trystan Jones all getting on the scoresheet.
The most recent away meeting was on the opening day of the 2017/18 season, with the young Bluebirds gaining a point in a 2-2 draw away from home. Jack Bodenham captained the side, with goals from Laurence Wotton and Sion Spence ensuring the visitors picked up a point after being 2-0 down at the break on August 12th, 2017.
In the 2016/17 season, the young Bluebirds edged out a seven-goal thriller at USW Sports Park, defeating Hull City 4-3. Goals from James Waite, Mark Harris and a double from Cameron Coxe made sure that the Tigers travelled back up north with nothing to show for their efforts.
Catch-Up: Highlights of the match will be available to subscribers of Cardiff City TV.
Social: Live Updates will come from via our official Academy Twitter account, @CF11Academy.
