Town’s U18s finished second at the Liverpool FC Football Cup at the weekend and are now off to train and play some games in Holland.
The matches at the friendly tournament at the Reds' academy were played over two halves of 30 minutes with all games followed by a penalty shoot-out for extra points.
On Thursday, the U18s, who this season are coached by Alan Lee, assisted by former Town youngster and one-time Hibs skipper Chris Hogg following Gerard Nash’s move to the U21s, beat Finnish side TPS Turku 2-0 in their opening fixture but lost the penalties. Next, they lost 1-0 to Swedes AIK Solna, but won the shoot-out.
In Friday’s games they drew 1-1 with Liverpool with Merseysider Declan Daniels on target for the Blues in a match in which Ross Marshall was red-carded for two bookable offences. The hosts won the penalties.
The Town youngsters lost 1-0 to eventual winners Spurs - who finished on 31 points to the Blues’ 19 - and lost on spotkicks.
On Saturday goals from Tristan Nydam (pictured), Callum Fullwood and Conor McKendry saw the Blues to a 3-0 victory over Manchester United, keeper Harry Wright having saved a penalty, before they completed a ‘double’ by winning the shoot-out.
Slovakian side Tatran Presov were defeated 1-0 with Kieron Cathline on target but the Blues lost on penalties.
Today the squad are off to Holland where they will be based at ADO Den Haag, a pre-season trip organised by League Football Education (LFE), which also sees youngsters from Accrington Stanley, Blackpool, Blackburn Rovers and Shrewsbury Town travelling across the North Sea to spend time with Dutch clubs.
Subsidised by the Erasmus+ fund, the LFE say the aim of the trip is to "promote development and the exchange of ideas between coaches and players in both countries”.
In addition to playing games with the likes of PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord and FC Twente, the players will also take part in "a range of cultural activities, including a trip to Amsterdam”.