Shan ‘all in’ to win FA Youth Cup

Aston Villa will be going “all in” to win the FA Youth Cup on Monday afternoon, according to under-18 head coach Jimmy Shan.

The Young Lions take on Manchester City at Villa Park on Bank Holiday Monday, looking to add the prestigious trophy to Villa’s cabinet for the fifth time in history.

Shan believes his players can take pride from their run in the competition so far, but insists they are determined to taste success, and will be treating it like any other game in order to do so.

“It’s a prestigious cup competition. It’s a memory that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. We’re trying to hopefully have the added bonus of winning the competition.

“We’ve had a mantra to compete and develop this season and we’re in a final, so 100%, we’ll be going all in, in terms of trying to win it.

“We’ve stuck to the process and every game, every working week has been exactly the same.

“We try to go as developmental as we possibly can from Monday to Friday, and then Saturday, gameday, is the performance day.

“Of course, the way that we work in the week we try and drip feed some of that in there, winning mentality and ways to win game, but (it will be) just much of the same.

“We haven’t broken a process in any single game this season and we don’t plan to do any different heading into the Youth Cup final.

“I think you only enjoy it after. The process is the process, and you only enjoy it with success.”

With well over 15,000 tickets sold in B6 for the clash, and tickets still available, Shan is keen for the Villa Park faithful to again create a strong atmosphere in support of his players.

Having helped push the side over the line in the semi-finals against Manchester United, he believes the crowd will help make it another special, exciting occasion.

“It’s going to be the first time a lot of these players have played in such an environment and crowd.

“We sensed it against Man United. When we did the walk-out I think some of our players were taken aback by the volume of noise coming from the Man United supporters.

“Thankfully our support got behind us and in the end in key moments it got us through.

“I’ll be exciting for the boys, it’ll be another one to tick off in terms of their pathway and their journey, and one I think will be a special occasion.”

Watch Shan's pre-match interview, and secure tickets for the clash, by clicking below.