As the Gunners prepare to face West Ham in the 2023 final, GOAL takes a look at how their last players to lift the trophy fared since
Arsenal are looking to end a 14-year wait for FA Youth Cup success on Tuesday night when they host West Ham in the 2023 final.
It promises to be a special night for head coach Jack Wilshere, who was part of the last Arsenal side who lifted the prestigious trophy back in 2009 after a dominant two-legged victory against Liverpool.
Wilshere was just one of a number of stars in a team that included the likes of Francis Coquelin, Luke Ayling and Kyle Bartley.
Ahead of Tuesday night’s final, GOAL tracks down what the crop of 2009 are doing now, and with the help of midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong – who was talking to us via Lord Ping – looks at what each player brought to Steve Bould’s legendary youth side…
James Shea
Arsenal’s Youth Cup-winning goalkeeper brushed off doubts over his height to go on and have a fine career.
That said, Shea never made a senior appearance for the Gunners, and after leaving in 2013 he dropped into non-league.
But after a spell with AFC Wimbledon he joined Luton Town in 2017, and he is still with the Championship club now as they chase promotion to the Premier League
Frimpong’s view: “James was very quiet and hard working. At the time, there were questions about his height and worries about whether he was going to be tall enough, but he was a decent keeper. “
AdvertisementCraig Eastmond
Eastmond was a 'fighter', a player who could operate in several positions.
He was one of the stars of the 2009 Youth Cup team, and went on to make his senior debut just a few months after the victory against Liverpool in the final.
In all, he made 10 first-team appearances, including one in the Champions League, before leaving for Colchester United in 2013.
He then moved to Yeovil Town before signing for Sutton United in 2015. He has stayed with Sutton ever since, making more than 250 appearances for the club, including one against Arsenal in an FA Cup fifth-round clash in 2017.
Frimpong’s view: “Craig was very technical. He could play right-back or be in the midfield. He was very intelligent, very funny and always had a smile on his face. He was definitely one of the players that you needed in a team because he wasn't the biggest but he could fight.
"The last time I was on Twitter I saw he made the record amount of appearances for Sutton. It tells you the kind of player he is. He’s done really well for his career so far.”
Getty ImagesThomas Cruise
A full-back who became a bit of a cult hero because of his name.
Cruise was a cultured defender who made one senior appearance for Arsenal, starting a Champions League group-stage game away at Olympiacos in 2009.
He joined Torquay United in 2012 before being released three years later.
Cruise then stopped playing football, with reports suggesting he started training to become an accountant.
Frimpong’s view: “Thomas was another shy and quiet one. Very technical, He wasn't vocal but he was a very good player. He was probably one of the guys that you knew was going to the top because he was very technical and very smart. However, football never goes to plan. He was a very, very good player.”
Getty ImagesKyle Bartley
Arsenal signed Bartley from Bolton Wanderers in 2007 in what was quite a high-profile transfer for a teenager.
The towering centre-back went on to captain the reserves side and played a key part in the 2009 Youth Cup success.
Big things were expected of Bartley, but he only made one appearance for Arsenal, starting in the same Champions League game against Olympiacos as Cruise did.
He left for Swansea City in 2012 and has gone on to have a fine career, also playing for Birmingham City, Leeds United and, currently, West Brom.
Frimpong’s view: “We used to call Kyle 'Bambi on Ice' because he used to run like Bambi! Kyle improved a lot when he moved over from Bolton. I remember when he first came he wasn’t the best and struggled to head the ball. I remember Neil Banfield, worked with him and pushed him a lot. I remember that very, very well. Steve Bould also worked with him a lot after the training sessions.
"He really improved and I think Kyle owes a lot to the Arsenal coaching staff at the time because they really helped. He had a high composure on the ball but sometimes he did make one or two mistakes, but they were all rectified. He turned out to be a really good defender.”
