7 Elite Academy’s Player Pathway partners, AFC Liverpool Under-18s, will host Clitheroe in the FA Youth Cup at the Marine Travel Arena on Friday, September 6th (8pm).

The young Reds secured their passage to the Final Preliminary Round of the competition with a nail-biting win over Cheadle Town on penalties earlier this month.

As part of the Player Pathway agreement, 7 Elite Academy staff train and run AFC Liverpool’s Under-18s and Under-21st teams, creating a clear route into senior football.

Admission to the game will be £3 for adults and £1 for Under-16s.

Sam D’Auvin, Coach of AFC Liverpool Under-18s, is looking forward to seeing his young side make their home debut under floodlights in Crosby.

He said: “It was great to see the lads come together as a unit against a tough Cheadle side a few weeks ago and show how much they’ve learned in such a short time.

“But that game is in the history books now and we must look ahead to the next round against Clitheroe. Playing at home, in front of our own fans, will be another interesting test for this group.

“It’s hard to judge what level Clitheroe will be at, especially at Under-18 level. We’ll concentrate on ourselves in training and look to continue the team spirit we saw in Manchester.

“If we can do that, then we’ll have every chance of making progress. With the start of the Junior Premier League just a few weeks away, it is essential we play as many competitive games as possible.”

Anthony Godfrey, Academy Director at 7 Elite Academy, is looking for the Under-18s to make another step up against Clitheroe.

He said: “I saw a great deal of progress in the Cheadle game, but as a group these players will know the challenges keep on getting bigger at Under-18 level.

“The FA Youth Cup is a brilliant way for younger teams to get used to a far more intense level of competition, especially as we hopefully progress through the rounds.

“Our Player Pathway is creating more and more opportunities for young people to play and study in the United States, as well as move into professional football right here in the UK.

“This competition is the perfect shop window for these players to make the most of those opportunities. As long as they show the correct attitude, we will support them every step of the way.”