US Portsmouth enter FA Youth Cup for first time –rekindling Fratton Park memories for USP boss Glenn Turnbull

They are one of 512 clubs that are taking part in the 2020/21 competition, along with fellow Wessex Leaguers AFC Portchester and Fareham.

Hawks, Gosport Borough and Moneyfields have also entered, along with Pompey.

‘We’ve got a good youth set-up and we thought it would be a nice reward for the boys,’ said first team manager Glenn Turnbull.

‘It should be a great experience for them.’

The US squad will be managed by Neil Scammell, Danny Knight and Mark Hopwood.

Turnbull knows from personal experience the value of entering the FA Youth Cup.

Back in 2013/14 he was helping out with running the Moneyfields under-18 team that was managed by current Dover Road chairman Pete Seiden.

Moneys reached the first round proper of the Youth Cup that season and were rewarded with a plum draw of Portsmouth at Fratton Park.

‘We couldn’t believe it,’ remembered Turnbull.

The Moneys team included current US players Dec Seiden, Elliott Turnbull, Liam Kyle and Callum Glenn as well as Jake Raine and Tyler Giddings, who are still at Moneyfields.

Ben Close struck four first half goals as Pompey romped to a 12-0 victory, with Jack Whatmough, Adam May and Brad Tarbuck also among the goals.

‘Dec actually scored early on but it was disallowed,’ Turnbull recalled. ‘I think that upset Pompey a bit!’

With USP’s facilities at HMS Temeraire currently still shut, Moneyfields have been offering a helping hand - ‘they have been absolutely fantastic,’ praised Turnbull.

US have been training once a week at Dover Road and will play their opening friendly against Liss Athletic at the ground this Saturday.

Moneys had also offered their facilities to host an FA Cup extra preliminary round tie on September 1 - but US learnt this week they had not been accepted.

US are due to face Baffins Milton on August 15, but at present they have no venue as both their own ground and Moneyfields are unavailable that day.

Baffins are reluctant to host the game on their newly-laid pitch, as they have three home friendlies in the space of eight days - against Winchester, Chichester and Worthing - later in the month.

US will be clocking up the miles during pre-season ahead of the Wessex League opener at Laverstock on September 5.

On August 22 they travel to Westfields of the Hellenic League. The manager of the Hereford-based club, Paul Willetts, once ran The Navy’s football team alongside US coach Fraser Quirke.

US are also playing Cowes United on the Isle of Wight on the last Friday of August and have just arranged a friendly at Littlehampton on Tuesday, September 1.