Anthony Spyrou on making the most of the FA Youth Cup

For Spyrou and the likes of Max Aarons, Timi Odusina, Alfie Payne, Bilal Kamal and Alan Fleming, it’s their last opportunity for glory in academy football’s flagship competition before they become too old to feature in it.

Spyrou is well aware of it being last-chance saloon but he’s confident this year’s group has what it takes to go all the way.

“It’s a massive experience for us, particularly us second years because it’s our last chance to win it,” he said, speaking to local media before the match.

“From what happened in 2013 [the last time City won the competition], we’re just looking to replicate it and we want to go as far as we can.

“We have started slow in the last couple of Youth Cup games but in the second-half we’ve showed how we can play.

“The boys are looking to start fast tomorrow. We know what our strengths are and what their weaknesses are so if we can exploit them, I can see nothing else than us winning.

“We know how good we are and we know when we perform below our level we need to pick it up. We feel like if there was any year that we could really go far, it’s this year because a lot of the big teams have been knocked out.”

Spyrou continued that the recent emergence of Jamal Lewis and Todd Cantwell into City’s first-team fold is providing added inspiration for current youngsters at the club.

“It’s great inspiration for us,” he said. “People are actually getting opportunities and that motivates myself and the lads even more.

“It gives us that belief that the first-team coach is watching us and wanting to bring us into his team, which for all of us is the end aim.”

Tickets for tomorrow’s FA Youth Cup fifth round tie with Newcastle United at Carrow Road (7pm) are priced at £3. To purchase yours, click HERE.