Preview | In-form U21s host Blackburn Rovers in PL2

West Ham United U21s v Blackburn Rovers U21s
Premier League 2, Rush Green Stadium, Friday 14 February 2025, 7pm GMT 

In a repeat of last season’s Premier League 2 last-16 play-off fixture, West Ham United U21s welcome Blackburn Rovers to Rush Green Stadium on Friday evening looking for their fourth straight home win.

Mark Robson’s in-form U21s have won seven of their last eight encounters in all competitions, a run of form which has seen them surge up the standings from 13th, just a point safe within the play-off places, to fourth, ten points clear of West Bromwich Albion, who occupy the final play-off spot.

The young Irons will therefore head into Friday's clash with their opponents from Lancashire brimming with confidence.

Tickets...

Tickets can be purchased at the turnstiles, priced at £5 for Adults and £1 for U18s. Season Ticket Holders can attend for free by showing their Season Ticket at the entrance.

Travel...

The postcode for Rush Green Stadium - at West Ham United’s first-team training ground - is RM7 0LU.

To access the ground via public transport, fans can take a train to Romford station, then board a 5, 103 or 175 bus for the 15-minute ride and get off at the Barton Avenue stop.

Supporters using public transport are advised to check their journeys before they travel, using resources such as TfL’s Journey Planner and the TfL Go app. Supporters may also wish to visit the National Rail website if travelling on the rail network.

Fans wishing to attend this Premier League 2 fixture by car should note that there is no parking available for spectators at Rush Green Stadium due to onsite construction works.
 

How To Follow...

The game will be blogged live, while a live stream of the fixture will be available exclusively  across the Club’s website and app.

A match report, highlights and reaction will also follow the full-time whistle.

Premier League 2 Explained…

To minimise the impact of relegation on future groups of U21 players, the Premier League introduced a new format to its development phase competition in 2023/24.

Replacing the two-division system, the 26 Category One academies now compete in a single tier with 20 regular season fixtures before the top 16 seeded teams advance to single-elimination play-offs.

Regular season fixtures are determined by a draw made according to clubs’ performances over the last three seasons. Each team plays 20 different opponents before the play-offs in May, where they will be drawn against each other based on league positions, with the higher seeded team playing at home. The top 12 are also rewarded with a place in the following season’s Premier League International Cup competition.

Opposition...  

Second from bottom in Premier League 2 going into the festive fixture break, Blackburn Rovers U21s had begun to build some positive momentum after the turn of the year. Until they faced leaders Manchester City last time out, Rovers had gone four games unbeaten in the league, and now sit just six points off the play-off places.

Similarly, last season, where they qualified as the 15th of the 16 play-off teams, they were bottom of the table at Christmas. They then won seven of their next nine games in a run which saw them fall to just one defeat, incidentally against West Ham United. To secure a play-off spot this season, Rovers will need a similar type of resurgence.

The stakes are almost identical this time around, with the young Hammers in a good run of form, looking to close the gap to the top few sides, while Rovers need wins in their search for a play-off berth.

Ones To Watch…

Joining the U21s set-up at Rush Green towards the end of 2024, U18s captain Preston Fearon has only lost once in eight appearances for the development side. His composure in possession, ability to drive the ball forward and pass selection are just some of the traits that make the 18-year-old stand out in midfield. After a brief cameo last week in the U21s’ latest victory against Arsenal, having played 120 minutes just days prior in the U18s’ penalty shootout win over Manchester United, Fearon will be ready to dictate the tempo in midfield once again from the off.

Further up the pitch, Kamarai Swyer has been an ever-present for Mark Robson’s side with 22 appearances for the U21s this season. Whether leading the line as a No9 or driving forward from the wing, he has registered nine goal contributions so far, and could have had a few more had the Hammers had a bit more luck in front of goal against Arsenal last time out.

For Blackburn Rovers, summer signing Aodhan Doherty has impressed from the wing. Just like teenage Linfield teammates Braiden Graham (Everton) and Ceadach O’Neill (Arsenal), Doherty arrived to an English Category One Academy from the Northern Ireland Premiership side last summer. An out-and-out winger that thrives in one-v-one situations, Doherty has proven to be just as good scoring goals as creating them. In his debut season in England, the 18-year-old already has three goals and three assists in Premier League 2, as well as a couple of goals against senior sides in the National League Cup.

It will be interesting to see whether Igor Tyjon is involved in Friday evening’s encounter. One of the most exciting talents in English football, Rovers had to fend off the likes of Manchester United to secure his scholarship signing. Having already made his Championship debut aged just 16, becoming Blackburn’s third-youngest player in the process, Tyjon has had intermittent involvement with the U21s. However, in the four games that the 16-year-old centre-forward has played in, he’s scored in all of them.

How Things Stand In Premier League 2...

West Ham United U21s are well placed in the play-off spots, with nine wins from 12 matches. They are currently level on points with Manchester United, sitting just behind them in the standings on goal difference. Their recent form, four wins on the bounce since the turn of the year, has really consolidated their position within the play-offs, now ten points clear of the play-off cut-off point with a game in hand.