The 1996 FA Youth Cup Final

The TIA Panel have voted Liverpool’s 1996 Youth Cup win in at Number 96 in the Days We’ll Remember all our Lives countdown. This was Liverpool first ever youth Cup win, a team full of bright prospects such as David Thompson, Phil Brazier, Jon Newby, Michael Owen and Jamie Carragher. On the way to the Final in 1996, the Liverpool youth team overcame Bradford City, Luton Town, Sheffield United, Manchester United and Crystal Palace. The semi final seen a fascinating 7-5 aggregate win against Crystal Palace.

A week after the ‘˜white Armani suits’ FA Cup Final, the Liverpool Youth Team faced West Ham over a two-legged Final, the club who had beaten the Reds in the Final more than 30 years earlier. The first leg of the Final drew a crowd of 15,386 to Upton Park and a goal in each half, by Jon Newby and David Larmour, gave Liverpool a 2-0 win.

The second leg was at Anfield infront of more than 20,000 spectators. Michael Owen, still only 16, had scored two hat-tricks in the competition including one against Man United, came on as a substitute in this match. He helped clinch The Cup for Liverpool, scoring their first goal in a 2-1 victory on the night. Stuart Quinn netted the other and Frank Lampard was on target for the Hammers.

Liverpools Youth Cup captain that night, Phil Brazier, recently told The Guardian Newspaper “You believe you’re in touching distance of the first team, you’ve got to. So it comes as a big shock when you get released.” After 18 months on a senior contract, the defender was encouraged by boss Roy Evans to look elsewhere. “The manager of Vauxhall Motors asked me to train with them. I stayed for four years.” Now 31 and a Home Office employee, Brazier plays for non-league Marine FC .

Liverpools Team

Naylor, Prior, Brazier, Carragher, Roberts, Quinn S., Quinn M., Thompson, Cassidy, Owen, Newby.

West Hams Team

Finn, Moore, Coyne, McFarlane, Partridge, Keith, Ferdinand, Lampard, Boylan, Hodges, Omoyinmi.