The Leeds United Under-21 players beamed as they became the first side to lift the National League Cup trophy.
After all, this was the end of a seven-game journey that saw them compete with experienced, senior opposition – and show their quality.
The Peacocks won the competition in its inaugural year through a 2-1 victory over National League side Sutton United in Tuesday night's final, which was played at Sutton’s VBS Stadium.
Leeds took the lead when Diogo Monteiro turned home a well-worked goal from close range after 25 minutes, before doubling their advantage early in the second half through Harry Gray – brother of Tottenham Hotspur’s Archie and the latest in the Gray dynasty at Leeds.
THREE generations: Read all about Harry and Archie Gray's footballing family
But this closely contested clash didn’t finish with Leeds’ two-goal advantage. Lewis Simper set up a tense final 15 minutes by rifling home on the volley from 12 yards to give a crowded home end hopes of a comeback.
Ultimately, though, the visiting Premier League 2 team showed their maturity to hold on and secure the National League Cup trophy and cue jubilant celebrations with friends, family and travelling fans in south London.
The National League Cup was launched in collaboration between the Premier League and National League earlier this season. It sees the first teams of National League sides compete with Premier League 2 teams (the top Premier League and EFL Under-21 sides), helping to aid elite-player development and support National League clubs’ growth and sustainability.
Crucial financial boost
The competition resulted in Sutton hosting six additional home games, from which they kept all gate receipts – including from the 3,000+ attending on Tuesday. They and other National League clubs only will also receive a share of the £1million prize fund provided by the Premier League.
The additional exposure, says Sutton’s chief operating officer Tim Allison, is helping the club attract the fans of the future.
“We embraced the National League Cup from the start and took this as an opportunity to get people excited about the competition and as a first introduction to the club,” he says. “We’ve gone out to various schools who’ve followed us from match one all the way to the final.
"Hopefully it’s a lifetime following; that’s what happened to me when I was a nine-year-old kid. It’s great to see full hospitality, full terraces, and lots of people watching what’s on the pitch.
“We’ve had ticket initiatives, player visits, and we even took the Premier League Trophy to one of the schools. In three weeks’ time, when that Trophy is on national news with Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah enjoying it with their community, the kids will be saying: ‘Mum, I saw that when I was at school.’”
'Different style of play'
For the schoolchildren in south London on Tuesday night, the National League Cup has provided an opportunity to see upcoming stars live in person. Leeds defeated National League outfits in both fixtures preceding the final, showing their ability against senior opposition.
“It’s been good for the fans to see that slightly different style of play and perhaps some skill level that isn’t as obvious at National League level,” says Allison.
“That contrast between a bit more maturity and experience versus the obvious talent has produced some great games and great goals. The acorns we’ve sown this year will become the oak trees of the future.
“I’m sure there will be people, like me, looking back on this first year of the competition when some of those Academy players have become established in Premier League sides or even for England. We can say: ‘We saw them play.’”
Continuing to grow the game
The VBS Stadium was well ready for Tuesday night, with Sutton having received more than £450,000 investment from the Premier League Stadium Fund, including for their floodlights and stands. A further Stadium Fund grant enabled them to install a hybrid pitch, allowing Crystal Palace Women to play their home games there, as well as Crystal Palace Under-21s.
“Part of the reason the Premier League is as good and as strong and as attractive as it is, is because of the layers underneath it," Allison adds.
“We got promoted four seasons ago and had three years in the Football League. We had a matter of weeks to get things in place to meet the minimum stadium criteria for participation in year one. The Stadium Fund allowed us to access funds so we could have floodlights that were compliant, turnstiles so we could scan tickets on entry. All these things were made possible by accessing those grants.
“Our matchday experience and the fans coming are really benefiting because of the facilities we have. We now have a pitch that’s looking brilliant in April, as if it was laid at the end of the season. We have a Premier League and Championship-standard pitch as a non-league club, and we’re not the only ones.”