The fixtures for the new 2016/17 U18s season were released today – and the young Reds couldn’t have wished for a worse start.
After opening up the campaign with a seemingly straightforward game against Blackburn Rovers at Kirkby on Monday 15th August, they then face both Manchester United and Manchester City in successive matches.
The United game will be played at Altrincham FC’s Moss Lane on Saturday 20th, with the City match at Kirkby a week later.
The league finishes with a much easier set of fixtures; we play West Brom away on 4th February, Sunderland at home on 11th Feb, before ending with a home tie against Wolves on Saturday 18th.
A post-season playoff will be used to determine the league champions.
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Here are the fixtures in full (via official site):
August
Monday 15 – Blackburn Rovers (H) 11am, Kirkby Academy.
Saturday 20 – Manchester United (A) 11am, Altrincham FC.
Saturday 27 – Manchester City (A) 11am, City Football Academy.
September
Saturday 10 – Stoke City (H) 11am, Kirkby Academy.
Saturday 17 – Middlesbrough (A) 12.30pm, Rockliffe Park, Darlington.
Saturday 24 – Everton (H) 11am, Kirkby Academy.
October
Saturday 1 – Newcastle United (A) 11am, Newcastle Academy.
Saturday 15 – West Bromwich Albion (H) 12 noon. Kirkby Academy.
Saturday 22 – Derby County (A) 12 noon, Derby Academy.
Saturday 29 – Sunderland (H) 12.30pm, Kirkby Academy.
November
Saturday 5 – Wolves (A) 11.30pm, Sir Jack Haywood training ground.
Saturday 19 – Manchester United (H) 11am, Kirkby Academy.
Saturday 26 – Blackburn Rovers (A) 11am, Blackburn Academy.
December
Saturday 3 – Middlesbrough (H), 12.30pm, Kirkby Academy.
Saturday 10 – Stoke City (A), 11am, Clayton Wood training ground.
January 2017
Saturday 7 – Manchester City (H), 11am, Kirkby Academy.
Saturday 14 – Everton (A), 11am, Finch Farm.
Saturday 21 – Newcastle United (H), 12.30pm, Kirkby Academy.
Saturday 28 – Derby County (A), 11am, Kirkby Academy.
February
Saturday 4 – West Bromwich Albion (A). 12 noon, West Brom training ground.
Saturday 11- Sunderland (A) 11am, Academy of Light.
Saturday 18 – Wolves (H) 11.30am, Kirkby Academy.