Proud boss Mike Scott urges West Brom U18s to build on FA Youth Cup run
Proud boss Mike Scott has urged his under-18 side to use their impressive FA Youth Cup run as the benchmark for their careers.
Scott's home-grown Baggies were beaten 4-2 by the global might of Manchester City last night in the club's first semi-final for 41 years.
And Scott wants them to use defeat to spur them on to get better in the next few years.
"First of all you've got to be proud of the lads in terms of how far they've gone," said Scott.
"Credit to them for getting to the last four of such a big competition.
"What our lads have to do now is, rather than looking at the history that's been made, is look towards the future and where their careers are going to go.
"This is the level, this is where they've got to get to, the opposition were very strong, they dominated a lot of the ball."
There is a feeling at Albion that a number of players from this side can break into the first team over the next few years, and Scott now wants them to kick on.
"The lads have to use this as a learning experience," he said. "The biggest thing now as a club is how can we get better, as staff, players, and an academy.
"We need to use this as a benchmark for the lads next season to try and emulate it at U23s level and hopefully at first team level."
Albion fell behind nine minutes in but drew level ten minutes before half-time through a sumptuous curled effort from the impressive Jamie Soule.
But they conceded early in the second half and then went 3-1 down with 17 minutes to go.
Rayhaan Tulloch made it interesting with four minutes remaining, but City scored a fourth two minutes later.
"Coming in at half-time we thought if we started the sexond half how we finished the first we might nick one, but the goal (after half-time) changed the game," said Scott.
"When we went 3-2 I thought it might be an interesting last five minutes but we got sucker punched on the counter."
It's been 41 years since Albion last reached the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup, but this crop have gone one better this season.
They beat Everton and Arsenal en route to a meeting with Manchester City.
"To emulate that next season will be a cahllenge, you need a bit of luck along the way as well," said Scott. "It's always going to be difficult to emulate this next season, but that doesn't mean you can't.
"The crop of players that are coming into 18s will be very strong. That's the benchmark for them, how far can we go? Can we try and do that?
"One or two will be able to play, Morgan Rogers, Josh Griffiths, Taylor Gardner-Hickman and Louie Barry. The experience they've had on this run they can take it into next season."
