Kierran Kinsella will urge his AFC Liverpool Under-18s players to stake a claim for the new season when they host Clitheroe in the FA Youth on Wednesday night (7pm).

The Reds youngsters will be looking to replicate the success of last season’s squad, who beat the likes of Wrexham to reach the Final Qualifying Round for the first time.

This week’s encounter at the Marine Travel Arena will see new a number of faces join the Under-18s line-up, after players such as Josh Miles signed professional terms with Blackpool.

And following a month of intense pre-season work with his new-look group, Kinsella is looking forward to the challenge presented by the Lancashire outfit.

He said: “We ran trials over the summer and had some talented youngsters join our squad, so I’m expecting Wednesday night’s game to very competitive.

“This group is a year older and more experienced than last season, so I want to see every player make the most of this opportunity. We have a good-sized squad, so competition for places is high.

“We’ve done some research on Clitheroe and we know they’ll press us from the very start. That is why the fitness we’ve worked on during pre-season will be so important.

“This game marks the start of an important season for this team, with more senior clubs taking an interest. We saw Josh Miles move to Blackpool in the summer and this year will be a shop window for our players.”

The AFC Liverpool Under-18s squad is run and trained by 7 Elite Academy staff as part of a Player Pathway that includes regular training and educational exchange opportunities in the United States.

Youngsters from the academy travel to the USA several times a year to play in the biggest college showcase tournaments and youth football events across the country.

Chris Stirrup, Chairman of AFC Liverpool, said: “I am really looking forward to seeing how this year’s Under-18s squad shapes up, especially in the FA Youth Cup.

“The first game of this competition is always a good curtain-raiser for the new campaign, even more so when we’re playing in front of a noisy crowd at the Marine Travel Arena.

“It’s been great to see new faces join the group and create even more competition for places. This can only help to push everyone on in the new season.

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The partnership with 7 Elite Academy is an important part of our development plan moving forward, especially after seeing so many Under-18s players join our senior squad.”