Leeds United: Manchester City request new date for Youth Cup final, FA must now decide
Manchester City have requested next month’s FA Youth Cup final is staged six days later than the FA’s initial deadline, according to the Daily Mail.
The British publication reported on its online edition on Friday (12 April) that City want the game with Leeds’ Under-18s played at the Etihad Stadium on 10 May.
The clubs were previously told that the fixture would have to be staged by 4 May, which clashed with Leeds’ final game of the regular Championship season against Southampton.
Man City are also in Premier League action that day, at home to Wolves, and they were reluctant for a youth game to be held on the pitch in the build-up to that match.
The report suggests that the FA looks set to sign off on the new date, which means a fixture headache has been avoided for Leeds fans who would have been torn as to which match to attend had it been held on 4 May.
It also means United coach Rob Etherington has got his wish, having called for common sense to prevail in order to maximise the focus on the prestigious FA Youth Cup final.
Leeds fans packed out Elland Road for the semi-final win over Millwall, and it is suggested that a similar number could make the trip to Manchester in a remarkable show of support.
That is a just reward for the youngsters, who will now be looking to match the achievements of Paul Robinson, Jonathan Woodgate and Co in winning the cup.
In other Leeds United news, David Prutton has made his prediction ahead of the senior side’s clash with Blackburn Rovers.
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