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Data Drop: FA Youth Cup is Chelsea FC’s Loan Showcase

By George Perry

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 27: Chelsea players celebrate with the trophy after winning the FA Youth Cup Fina, Second Leg match between Chelsea and Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on April 27, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 27: Chelsea players celebrate with the trophy after winning the FA Youth Cup Fina, Second Leg match between Chelsea and Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on April 27, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images) /
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Chelsea FC takes on Man City in the FA Youth Cup finals. For many young Blues, this will be their last appearance in a Chelsea strip for some time – maybe ever.

“Congratulations, you just won the FA Youth Cup! What are you going to do now?”

“I’m going on loan, baby!”

The FA Youth Cup’s official page describes it as “the competition that put the stars of tomorrow in the shop window.” It’s hard to say if this flash of brutal honesty was intentional or otherwise, but it particularly rings true around Cobham. Rather than offering the fans a glimpse of what’s to come at Stamford Bridge and the chance to say “I saw him before he was a star,” the FA Youth Cup now produces more loans than a mortgage shop.

Want to know what the future of Vitesse looks like? Watch our Academy.

Want to know what the future of Chelsea looks like? So do we.

More from The Pride of London

Many people criticized Jose Mourinho for spurning the Academy-to-First Team pipeline. For all the excitement around Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Dominic Solanke debuting, fans are still wondering when – or if – we will ever see Andreas Christiansen, Izzy Brown and Lucas Piazon as regulars at Stamford Bridge.

To be fair to the Portuguese, who continues to take his share of the heat (from me, for example), we wanted to know the raw numbers about Chelsea’s Academy products. Is there a career path that leads from Cobham to Stamford Bridge? Or is it the case that once you go out on loan you can never go home again?

We took a look at our Starting XI for each leg of the 5 FA Youth Cup finals we have played since 2010, from which we claimed 4 titles. We wanted to know how many Youth Cup alumni took the field for the First Team in a competitive match, how many went on loan and how many used the Academy as a launch point for their career.

Along the way, we learned some cool facts and figures, and for a few players answered the question “What ever happened to….?” We also came to a deeper appreciation of the pressure and expectations around the Bridge for Ruben Loftus-Cheek. If not RLC, John Terry might be well into his coaching career before he welcomes his successor as the club’s homegrown star.

45 – Players have started for Chelsea in the FA Youth Cup Finals, 2010-2015

0 – 2010 FA Youth Cup final Starting XI still on the books for Chelsea

25 – FA Youth Cup Final starters who were sent on at least 1 loan away from Chelsea

6 – most loans for a single player who started in a Chelsea FA Youth Cup final (Nathaniel Chalobah)

22 – most First Team appearances in all competitions by an FA Youth Cup Final starter (Josh McEachran)

(Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) /

36 – total number of First Team Premier League appearances for players who have started for Chelsea in the FA Youth Cup Finals

34 – FA Youth Cup Final starters who have not appeared in a First Team game

13 – most First Team Premier League appearances by an FA Youth Cup Final starter (Ruben Loftus-Cheek)

2 – players started in 3 FA Youth Cup Finals (Ola Aina & Charlie Colkett, 2013-2015)

Next: Charly Musonda deal is worrying indication of Antonio Conte’s Chelsea FC plans

7 – FA Youth Cup final starters released by Chelsea

9 – FA Youth Cup final starters sold or otherwise transferred by Chelsea

29 – FA Youth Cup final starters still on the books for Chelsea

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