Cardiff City’s U12 side claimed yet another accolade in what has been a largely successful season, winning the Rams Cup, to add to their list of recent tournament success, including the Premier League Truce Cup and the 2019 Arsenal Cup earlier this season.
The young Bluebirds travelled to Derby over the weekend of March 21/22/23 to take part in the competition, with City competing against Manchester City, Manchester United, Sunderland, West Ham United, Newcastle United, Chelsea and the hosts, Derby County.
City started the day in a group with Manchester City, Sunderland and West Ham, as they looked to progress to the Quarter-Final of the tournament. The young side wouldn’t disappoint, as they registered 1-0 wins against West Ham and Sunderland, and a 2-0 win against Manchester City to set up a tie with Newcastle United.
The side, coached by Tom Hutton, Daniel Smith and Ben Adams, produced yet another professional performance, claiming a 3-1 win against the Magpies. Manchester United followed in the semi-final, and Cardiff City were handed a set-back as they fell behind against the Red Devils early-on. Eventually, the Bluebirds’ determination and hard-work would be rewarded, as they won the game 2-1.
Chelsea would face Cardiff City in the final of the competition at Morley Road, and despite the efforts of the youthful Bluebirds, they fell behind early-on against the Blues. However, City levelled the scores and the sides had to be separated by penalties, with Chelsea defeated 3-2 on penalties.
Following the news of City’s success, we spoke with Assistant Youth Development Phase Coach, Tom Hutton, who shared his thoughts following the tournament.
“Everyone connected with the academy are extremely proud of the players and really pleased with the level of success the players have achieved in this competition,” began Tom.
“We are always looking opportunities that will test our players against some of the top academies in the country, with the Rams Cup no exception. Once again, the players have shown that they can compete with these sides on both a team and individual basis.
“It’s always nice to win these types of competitions, but most importantly is the way that the players have performed on the day, showcasing the academy playing style consistently against all opposition.
“These types of tournaments bring pressure that can challenge the way that we play, but the players have shown resilience in these moments, and we are proud of this group of players so far this season. They have shown positive developments as a team and have constantly pushed each other to develop as individuals.
“I think this latest achievement really highlights some of the brilliant work that is going on at the academy at present and has only further confirmed to us that our players are more than capable of competing with the very best academies. Being the only Category Two academy in this tournament and performing positively against the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea shows how far the club has in recent years.
“Overall, we feel this season has been a positive one for this group of players. They have had a varied and challenging experience since the beginning of the season, which is vital when trying to develop young players.
“We have enjoyed watching the players learn and develop within these types of competitions, which will only enhance their skill levels, and prepare them for the challenging journey ahead, which hopefully leads to a career in professional football.”
U12 | Congratulations to our U12 side, who lifted the Rams Cup in Derby yesterday.
— Cardiff City Academy (@CF11Academy) March 24, 2019
The young #Bluebirds defeated @ChelseaFC 3-2 on penalties in the final! ?#CityAsOne pic.twitter.com/URkggeee5T
