United youth aim to match Class of ’92

IT IS 30 years ago this week since Manchester United’s fabled Class of ’92 lifted the FA Youth Cup. Tonight (7.30)at a packed Old Trafford, United’s latest batch of young stars will try to emulate the likes of David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville and Nicky Butt by winning it for a record 11th time against first-time finalists Nottingham Forest. Around 65,000 tickets have been sold for the game so far, meaning the previous highest attendance of 38,137 for United’s semi-final at Arsenal in 2007 will be smashed. ‘A normal crowd would be my mum and my sister!’ said United Under 18s captain Rhys Bennett. United last won this trophy in 2011 but the club’s commitment to youth is beyond question. The number of consecutive games with an academy product in the first-team squad now runs to 4,146 with Alejandro Garnacho the latest and 243rd graduate to break through.