David Wilkes will be remembered when his former clubs go head to head in the FA Youth Cup tonight.
The much-missed coach, who died earlier this year, will be the subject of a minute’s applause before the Carlisle United v Barnsley tie at Brunton Park.
The first round game (kick-off 6pm) is a poignant fixture between United, where Wilkes had a long and hugely respected spell as a youth coach, and Barnsley, where he came through the ranks as a young player.
Carlisle’s Under-18 boss Mark Birch says Wilkes, who passed away in June aged 59, will be on many people’s minds this evening.
“When the draw was made, it was the first thing we all thought of,” said Birch, “with Wilkesy, and his connection with both clubs.
“It’s unbelievable how these things happen in football. It’s a tribute to Dave that two teams close to him at youth level are going to be battling it out at Brunton Park.
“All we hope is we can put on a good performance that does themselves justice to the occasion.
“Dave’s played a big part since I’ve been here – in over 20 years, he was always a constant. Everybody still misses him, and what an occasion – the two teams probably closest to his heart playing each other, at Brunton Park, under the lights in the FA Youth Cup.”
Carlisle head into tonight’s tie in good heart after a 6-2 league win over Salford City at the weekend.
They take on a Barnsley side from a Category 2 academy who won their own league last season.
Birch says dealing with the occasion on the big Brunton Park stage will be key this evening.
And he says the older players in his Under-18 squad will have a crucial role to play in that respect.
“When some of lads have come into the reserves they’ve handled the occasion quite well, and they’ve got to set the standards as soon as they come into the building [today],” said the coach.
“They’ve got to be calm, go about the job in a professional way, and make sure the first years who’ve not been in this situation, or played in the reserves, look to them and see they’re nice and calm, and can be calm as well, and handle the occasion.
“It’s the FA Youth Cup but it’s just another game of football. The emotions that go round it, they’ve got to learn to handle. Hopefully we can get that through to them.
“It will be in the front of their minds, their parents’ minds, all their mates will be talking about coming down to watch them.
“They’ve just got to remember – let that deal with itself, let parents and friends deal with coming to the game, and you just concentrate on what you’re going to do in that 90 minutes, play the best your ability lets you do.”
Birch will be able to call on several players who have been around the first-team squad or reserves in recent months.
Romeo Park scored for the Blues in pre-season while players such as Jake Allan, Aran Fitzpatrick, Robbie Swinburn, Will Maddison and Sam Hetherington have featured for United’s senior second string.
Some of tonight’s line-up were in the team that lost 4-0 to Fleetwood Town in the Youth Cup’s first round last season, and Birch says they are determined to put on a better showing.
“I think last year, speaking to some of the second years, they felt like the night bypassed them, without really grasping an opportunity,” he said.
“When you speak to some of them now, they want to put on a better display personally and as a team.
“They’ll have a better idea of how to handle the occasion.”
Birch says the way Carlisle’s youngsters performed in their most recent league outing is a benchmark.
“What was most pleasing for the lads is all the goals they scored came through hard work, from forcing the mistake,” he said of the 6-2 Salford victory.
“We do a lot [of work] about off the ball, about working harder than the opposition, about forcing the opposition players into mistakes.
“We scored two goals within a minute on Saturday. We were 2-0 up after 90 seconds through forcing the mistake, through being really aggressive off the ball.
“It gives a great foundation. The lads have got to remember what a good winning dressing room feels like.”
Paul Simpson will be in attendance tonight and Birch says individuals must grab the chance to impress.
“It’s about the team, but there’s always a player people sit up and take notice of,” the coach said.
“We’re saying to the lads, ‘Who’s it going to be, who rises to the challenge, who’s the lad people are talking to after the game?’
“Barnsley are a Cat 2 team, I think they won the league last year and they’re up there this year.
“They’re good opposition but that’s what the FA Youth Cup brings – and it brings shocks. It’s testing mentally and you’re doing things you don’t normally get at Creighton [where we play our home league games] – it’s under lights, in a stadium, playing in front of fans.
“It’s about learning how to handle the occasion.”
United are opening B Stand for supporters, with entry £3 for over-18s and £2 for under-18s.
Tickets can be bought online, or from the west side ticket office from 5pm today. The Glass Bar will be open for refreshments.
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