Three 14-year-olds help Sheffield United hammer Leeds United in age-group rout

The Blades were four to the good at half time of their final U17 Premier League Cup game, with Billy Blacker, George Dickinson, Stafford Clarke and Kurtis Havenhand all on target before the break.

Wing-back Mekhi Haughton-Parris almost made it five in the second half but United were indebted to goalkeeper Callum Yam at the other end for keeping the four-goal margin intact, making a couple of good saves as Leeds sought a way back into the game.

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And United finished the game with three 14-year-olds on the field, with Arlo Coubrough, Kylan Midwood and Theo Howard coming off the bench.

United have something of a mantra of promoting talented youngsters above their age-groups, with their U21 side also generally containing a number of U18 players while many of their would-be teammates are placed with Football League or non-league clubs in a bid to accelerate their football development.

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The Blades have an entire XI out on loan elsewhere in the football pyramid, with the likes of Zak Brunt, Kyron Gordon and Femi Seriki gaining valuable experience of senior football rather than being stuck in the ‘bubble’ of U23 life at Bramall Lane and the Shirecliffe academy.

The Blades U21s, who beat Bristol City earlier this week to get off the mark in the Premier League cup, return to action on Friday when they face Crewe at their home ground in York.

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