Article: Joe Cole blazes a trail for the boys KEN DYER previews tonight's FA Youth Cup Final and sees how West Ham are reaping rewards from their youth policy

ANY clubs still doubting the wisdom of investing heavily in a youth-development programme would do well to recall the FA Youth Cup Final of three years ago. Then, as tonight when West Ham meet Coventry at Highfield Road in the first leg, it was the Upton Park club who had got to the Final.

The line-up makes interesting reading - opponents Liverpool had Michael Owen plus Jamie Carragher while West Ham included Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard.

All four have come a fair way since then. Indeed, had Owen been fit, the quartet would all have been in Kevin Keegan's recent England squad for the friendly in Hungary. And if further confirmation was needed that investment in youth can bring its ...

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