Welsh Youth Cup magic dream for team that 'didn't exist'

A Welsh football club is plotting a cup shock, just six days after its first training session.

Last month, Gwent County League's Ynysddu Welfare were drawn to compete in the FAW Youth Cup - despite not having a youth side.

Rather than cancel the fixture the club appealed for players and had so many responses they have had to turn some away. They face Briton Ferry on Sunday.

Secretary Ben Murphy said: "It's been a crazy, but brilliant couple of weeks."

Sponsors have also flocked to back the newly-formed team, according to Mr Murphy.

The players are aged between 16 and 18

An administration mix-up between the club and cup organisers, the Football Association of Wales, meant they were entered into the competition.

They used social media to appeal for players aged between 16 and 18 to fulfil the first-round fixture.

The club was inundated with responses from as far as Essex and Northern Ireland, but settled on 21 players from the local area.

The squad of strangers only met for the first - and probably only - time on Monday before Sunday's cup tie.

Mr Murphy said: "We've had so many offers that we could have picked four or five sides.

"We've also had sponsors help us with a kit, polo shirts and team wear for the players. It's been unbelievable."

The club has also booked two coaches for supporters hoping to see if the tale of these unlikely cup heroes has a happy ending.

However, it will be a tall order against opponents whose side includes former Swansea City academy players.

"You never know what can happen in cup football but the important thing is to be as competitive as we can," said Mr Murphy.

Callum Banks says the team should be "confident" of winning, despite only meeting once

One teenager who answered the call was 17-year-old Callum Banks from Blackwood.

He said: "We are going there for the win, but if we lose, it's still been a great bonding experience and hopefully a team will come out of it."

A shock win could see Ynysddu play the likes of Cardiff City or Swansea City, whose youth sides enter the competition in the next round.

Feel-good factor

However, the real long-term benefit for the club could be the reforming of its youth set-up full time.

Ynysddu Welfare was formed in 1915, but the youth team folded two years ago due to a lack of numbers.

"The really positive thing for us is that this story has got the feel-good factor back," Mr Murphy said.

"Hopefully some of these boys will want to carry on and go on to play senior football."

Coach Ian Summers hopes "anything can happen" in a cup tie