'Have a performance like Keith Southern' - Blackpool midfielder reflects on cup success
Blackpool U18s claimed a 2-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers to become LFA Professional Youth Cup champions.
Blackpool became LFA Professional Youth Cup champions with a 2-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers at the County Ground on Tuesday night.
Shay Mannix and James Butterworth were both on target for the Seasiders’ U18s, as they got the taste of lifting silverware.
Midfielder Theo Upton, who is also currently on loan with Matlock Town, states the manner of the performance shows the togetherness of the young group.
“The amount of injuries we’ve got after the game shows how much we put into it,” he said.
“Four lads put everything on the line towards the end - keeping a clean sheet was the main thing for us. If you keep a clean sheet then you don’t lose the game, and when you score two creative goals, it just tops off a very good night.
“We’ve had two finals as a group where we haven’t been at our best; whereas tonight we had domination in the first half, we had shots, we had passing patterns - we had everything that concludes a good performance.
“The second half was about game management and seeing out the game because that’s what we have lacked as a group.
“We’ve been together for three years, so the connections we have built on and off the pitch alludes to the togetherness we have as a group.
“Putting bodies on the line and winning football matches is what this club needs; it doesn’t matter what age level it is, there’s a high demand to win, and win in fashions like that, because that was very good tonight, especially against Bolton.
“This is the first time I’ve won something so it’s a bit of a strange feeling. You watch players at Bloomfield Road every week and you see six play-off wins - I’ve been to three of them, and there’s no better feeling as a fan, so as a player in a game like this it’s top.”
‘A performance like Keith Southern’
Upton donned the number four on Tuesday night, and admits he did his best to replicate a famous Blackpool midfielder.
“My mum was chatting to me about Keith Southern before actually,” he added.
“In my last game at Matlock I didn’t run around as much apparently, so she said ‘have a performance like Keith Southern.’
“I started cramping after 85 minutes, but you’ve got to keep going day-by-day, game-by-game and see where that can take me.”
Blackpool coach reflects on ‘thoroughly deserved’ win
Coach Matthew Blinkhorn states the cup victory will stand the young Seasiders group in good stead going forwards in their careers.
“I’m very proud of the lads for the performance they put in - in the first half we were excellent, we had a real game plan and the lads executed it really well,” he said.
“The second half was a little more scrappy, but I felt we still had control in the game. The lads defended really well.
“Overall it was a really pleasing performance, and we thoroughly deserved to win the competition.
“It means a lot because it’s been a long journey. I think the first time they played in the final was Wimbledon a couple of years ago where we were mainly 16s. We’ve had youth cup games and got to the semi-finals of the PDL Cup, but this is the first one we’ve won.
“I just said to them, you’ll need motivation and desire, you need to apply yourself in a game like this. Every single day, their attitude and application has been brilliant. You can’t beat that winning feeling, it’s why we play football and why fans come to watch games.
“To have that feeling now hopefully gives them more motivation for the next one, which is in two weeks time.
“We’re showing good signs of development. I’ve got to mention all of the age group coaches; it’s not just one - they’ve done a great job with these lads.”
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