Welsh Youth Cup tie for team that 'doesn't exist'
- Published
Ynysddu Welfare have a senior side - but no youth team
A Gwent County league football club are preparing to compete in the FAW Youth Cup - despite not having a youth side.
The non-existent Ynysddu Welfare Youth side have been drawn away to face Briton Ferry on 7 October.
Yet rather than cancel the fixture, the club's appeal for players has had responses from as far as Essex and Northern Ireland.
Club secretary Ben Murphy said: "We want to play but there's a chance some of the lads will never have met!"
The club were stunned to see they were included in Tuesday night's cup draw for the first round given they do not have a youth team.
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Once they decided to try and fulfil the fixture, their appeal for players on social media had attracted so much reaction that the club's newly-formed youth side was registered by Gwent County FA within just 24 hours.
"It's the biggest competition at this level in Wales so we thought 'let's try our best," said Mr Murphy, also first team manager.
Cardiff City and Swansea City are among the sides that compete for the FAW Youth Cup, the biggest youth competition in Wales.
"The last 24 hours have been crazy," added Mr Murphy.
"We've had clubs offering players who are not signed at youth level and we've contacted colleges so we're confident we will be able to put out a side."
The FAW Youth Cup has run since 1990 and this season features 62 teams
Despite offers from far and wide, the club has 14 players from the local area confirmed for the date.
However whether they can pull off a cup shock remains to be seen.
"Three of the lads are involved with the club but the rest... we don't really know them," said Mr Murphy.
"We want to do the trophy justice and be as competitive as we can. But just getting a side out that day will be an achievement in itself."
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
It is not yet clear why the FAW included the club in the competition for the first time this season. They have been contacted for comment by the BBC.