West Ham United U18s v West Bromwich Albion U18s
U18 Premier League South, Little Heath Training Ground, Tuesday 6 May 2025, 1pm BST
West Ham United U18s will round off their 2024/25 season on home turf, welcoming West Bromwich Albion to Little Heath Training Ground on Tuesday.
It brings the curtain down on a memorable campaign for the young Hammers, who made history by becoming just the fifth team to lift the U18 Premier League Cup last month. An excellent season in terms of development has also seen a handful of U18s earn regular opportunities with the U21s.
With as many as five scholars travelling with the development squad for their Premier League 2 quarter-final against Manchester United on Monday, Tuesday’s U18s clash will once again offer valuable minutes for younger scholars and U16s hoping to make their mark.
How To Follow…
A report, post-match reaction and highlights will be available on the Club’s website and app following the final whistle.
Opposition…
It’s been a challenging season in the league for West Bromwich Albion, who have picked up just 12 points from their 22 matches, their lowest tally since joining the southern division of the U18 Premier League in 2020. They have also struggled away from home, earning only one win from eleven games on the road.
That said, the Baggies did enjoy a strong FA Youth Cup run, reaching the quarter-finals before falling to defending champions and eventual finalists Manchester City. They also hold the upper hand in recent meetings with West Ham, going unbeaten in the last three encounters, including two wins over our U18s who finished runners up in Premier League South last season.
Previous Meeting...
When the sides met earlier this season, in September 2024, Airidas Golambeckis, now part of the U21s’ play-off push, scored his third goal in five games to give West Ham the lead. West Brom responded with goals either side of the interval to turn the game on its head, but the young Hammers hit back through Mauritius international Gabriel Caliste, who finished off a well-worked team move to secure a 2-2 draw and a point on the road.
The Story So Far...
West Ham United currently sit 12th in the U18 Premier League South table, but a win on Tuesday and results going their way elsewhere could see them finish as high as ninth.
While our FA Youth Cup run ended in the third round at Grimsby Town, the young Hammers made history this season by becoming the first U18s age group to win the Premier League Cup for West Ham.
U18 Premier League South
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Southampton | 24 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 27 | 45 |
| 2 | Aston Villa | 22 | 14 | 2 | 6 | 12 | 44 |
| 3 | Chelsea | 24 | 13 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 42 |
| 4 | Arsenal | 23 | 12 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 41 |
| 5 | Crystal Palace | 24 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 38 |
| 6 | Tottenham Hotspur | 22 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 18 | 37 |
| 7 | Fulham | 23 | 11 | 3 | 9 | 6 | 36 |
| 8 | Reading | 23 | 9 | 5 | 10 | -12 | 32 |
| 9 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 24 | 6 | 6 | 12 | -9 | 24 |
| 10 | Norwich City | 24 | 6 | 5 | 13 | -16 | 23 |
| 11 | Leicester City | 23 | 6 | 5 | 12 | -18 | 23 |
| 12 | West Ham United | 23 | 5 | 7 | 11 | -15 | 22 |
| 13 | West Bromwich Albion | 22 | 2 | 6 | 14 | -26 | 12 |
