AFC Bournemouth U21s v West Ham United U21s
Pre-season Match, Canford Arena, Tuesday 19 July 2022, 2.00pm
When & Where etc…
West Ham United U21s are set for their third pre-season fixture of the 2022/23 schedule on Tuesday afternoon away to AFC Bournemouth’s developmental side.
The Irons return to action after playing away to Ebbsfleet United on Friday evening, against a young Cherries side on the south coast.
The U21s have trained intensively back at their Rush Green base in the past week, with a significant number of the young Hammers called into the senior squads for the concurrent first-team pre-season matches against Ipswich Town and Boreham Wood last Tuesday evening.
The young Irons will kick-off against Bournemouth at 2.00pm on Tuesday at Canford Arena.
Tickets…
West Ham United fans can attend and watch the U21s in action away to AFC Bournemouth development team for free on Tuesday 19 July.
Admittance for both home and away supporters for this pre-season match at the Canford Arena is free of charge.
Travel…
To get to Canford Park from London or Essex, the easiest way is to head around the M25 and join the M3 towards Southampton at Junction 12. If you are using a sat-nav, the postcode is: BH21 3AP.
From there, merge onto the M27 and head for the A31. At Palmersford Roundabout, take the first exit onto Ringwood Road/A347, and then take the first exit on the Tricketts Cross Roundabout to stake on course. Follow directions for Ringwood Road until, you hit another roundabout where you take the third exit onto Magna Road, and your destination is up on the right.
The nearest train station to the Canford Arena is in Poole, which is still almost seven miles from the venue and would require a 17-minute taxi drive.
How To Follow...
The U21’s pre-season fixture away to the AFC Bournemouth development side is unfortunately not available to watch via a live stream, but a full recount of the events will be available at whufc.com following the game on Tuesday afternoon.
Highlights from the Hammers’ trip to the Cherries will also be made available after the match at whufc.com and on the West Ham United YouTube channel shortly after, as will exclusive reaction from the fixture.
Team News…
The pre-season schedule has given a host of U21s players the opportunity to showcase their ability for first team manager David Moyes and the senior squad staff, with a number of young players performing for the first team throughout pre-season.
Even more members of the development squad were utilised in the senior team on Tuesday as the likes of Keenan Appiah-Forson, Thierry Nevers, Remy Coddington, Jamal Baptiste, Michael Forbes, Levi Laing and George Earthy were called into the respective sides that played at Ipswich Town and Boreham Wood.
The likes of Harrison Ashby, Dan Chesters, Aji Alese, Pierre Ekwah, Divin Mubama and Manny Longelo have worked extensively with the first team in recent weeks and may be called upon again by the senior squad for the friendly with Rangers on Tuesday evening. As such, they would not be involved against AFC Bournemouth.
The U18s are also away for pre-season, undertaking a warm weather training camp in the Czech Republic, leaving lead coach Mark Robson with a select group of players to choose from for Tuesday’s match.
Fans can anticipate the seven youngsters who signed professional deals over the summer – Archie Woods, Michael Forbes, Jacob Knightbridge, Junior Robinson, Regan Clayton, George Earthy and Kaelen Casey – being involved in some capacity, should they not be called up to the senior side.
Opposition…
AFC Bournemouth’s development team play in the Central League, which forms the third and fourth tier of reserve-level football in the EFL.
The young Cherries are coached by former defender Shaun Cooper, a Welshamn who represented Bournemouth for seven seasons between 2005-2012, and also played for the likes of Portsmouth and Crawley Town before retiring in 2017.
The Bournemouth Academy has seen notable names work as part of their system on their way to the very top of English football, including former Liverpool and England midfielder Jamie Redknapp, Aston Villa attacker Danny Ings, former Wales international defender David Jones, and current Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe.
