Six years ago today the Fulham Under-18s faced London rivals Chelsea in the second leg of the FA Youth Cup Final, a game Marek Rodák recently described as the "standout moment" during his Academy career at Fulham.
Following an exciting 5-4 aggregate win over Reading in the semi-final, Fulham’s prolific form in front of goal continued, scoring three times in nine minutes to take the first leg 3-2 at Craven Cottage.
In a second leg which swung one way and then the other, three late goals saw Chelsea come out winners with a 5-3 win on the day and a 7-6 win on aggregate.
We take a look at the starting eleven involved that day and the careers they have forged, and what better place to start than Rodák himself.
Marek Rodák (Goalkeeper)
Our current number one joined the club at the tender age of 16 and immediately impressed, stepping straight in for the 18s. He was a vital cog in the machine that saw the Young Whites progress to the final and later would win a trophy with the team when they lifted the Dallas Cup.
The Slovakian stopper continued to climb the Academy ranks and made his First Team debut at the beginning of the 2017/18 season. He remains one of the first names on the teamsheet under Scott Parker.
Ryheem Sheckleford (Right-Back)
Ryheem joined the club in 2011 and despite not making a First Team appearance, achieved success at youth level. He was given his first taste of senior football when he was sent out on loan to non-league side Wealdstone in 2016.
He captained the U18s during the 2014-15 season but a couple of years later was released. The defender is a current starter for National League outfit Maidenhead United and has recently played alongside Academy players Taye Ashby-Hammond and Jaydn Mundle-Smith.
Jordan Evans (Left-Back)
After developing through Wrexham's Academy, Jordan joined us at the age of 15 and towards the end of his time at the club he admitted that the Youth Cup run was his best moment in football, saying; “I was obviously absolutely gutted to lose but that was special.”
During his spell at Motspur Park he was a part of the U18 side which won the league title as well as the Dallas Cup in 2013. He made 48 appearances and later made it onto the bench for the First Team in a league Cup tie against Stoke City.
He was released in the Summer of 2016 and re-signed for childhood club Wrexham, where he made 22 appearances. After spells at Welsh Premier League sides Bala Town (where he won the Welsh Cup) and Cefn Druids, he made the switch in June 2016 to fellow top flight club, Airbus UK.
Liam Donnelly (Centre-Back and Captain)
Liam captained Fulham to the final and his impressive performances saw him receive a call-up to the full Northern Ireland squad where he went on to gain his first cap. After a two-year spell at Hartlepool, he now plays for Scottish Premier League side Motherwell and has recently moved from defence to midfield, going on to score four goals in three games.
Cameron Burgess (Centre-Back)
The Australian centre-back signed a three-year scholarship in 2012 and joined up with the U18s, making his debut against Crystal Palace in October. He soon made the step up to the U21s where he made 17 appearances before making his First Team debut in the 2014 league opener against Ipswich Town.
Despite making four senior appearances, the then 21-year-old joined Scunthorpe Utd in 2017. He remains a Scunthorpe player but is currently at League Two side Salford City on a season-long loan.
Soloman Sambou (Defensive-Midfielder)
The holding midfielder was nicknamed ‘The Enforcer’ within the Academy, known for his physical attributes and steely determination. Soloman made the U18 squad before he turned 16 and was a vital part of the side that won two national titles and a Dallas Cup on top of their fantastic FA Youth Cup campaign.
He went on to trial at Bolton Wanderers but unfortunately wasn’t signed on. He instead ended up at Bedford Town before moving on to National League South side St. Albans City. He remained at the club for around three years but is now playing for semi-professional side Hendon.
Dean O’Halloran (Right-Winger)
Fulham signed Dean from Southend United, a junior football club in Ireland. The winger was unfortunate in his first full season, with injuries limiting him to just 12 league appearances for the U18s, mostly as a substitute.
He was later used as a striker for the U21s but unfortunately broke his ankle in January 2015 against Southampton. Upon his return, he failed to break into the First Team and was released in 2016.
Dean returned to Ireland, signing for the Bohemians and after later heading back to hometown club Waterford (where he won promotion back to the Premier Division) he switched to fellow Irish top division side Galway Utd.
Emerson Hyndman (Centre-Midfielder)
In Emerson’s first U18s game he put on a fantastic, man-of-the-match display scoring a hat-trick in a 7-1 thrashing over Wolves. His side went on to win the Championship in 2013 and the Dallas Cup.
His consistency saw him sign his first professional contract in April 2013 and after spells in the U21 side, he got his first taste of First Team football at the age of 18 in the league opener against Ipswich Town where he put on another superb display in midfield. In 2016, the American signed a four-year deal with AFC Bournemouth and has since moved on to MLS side Atlanta United.
George Williams (Left-Winger)
The winger, who signed from MK Dons in the Summer of 2012 travelled to the United States with the U19s who later became champions. He was a regular for the U18s on the left, playing alongside an array of great strikers such as Cauley Woodrow and Moussa Dembélé.
Despite only managing 5 goals, his creativity proved instrumental and he scored the deciding penalty in the Dallas Cup semi-final against Fluminense.
In May 2014, George was called up to the senior Wales squad for a friendly against Holland. He went on to make seven appearances for his country and was a member of the Euro 2016 squad which made it to the semi-finals.
Three months later, George made his First Team debut in the league against fellow London side Millwall. He often found himself on the bench but later ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament which saw him out of action for the rest of the season. Before the start of the 2018/129 season, he joined League Two Gloucestershire based side Forest Green Rovers, where he remains today.
Patrick Roberts (Attacking-Midfielder)
Patrick joined Fulham from AFC Wimbledon at the age of 13 and signed a professional deal on his 17th birthday before Felix Magath handed him his Premier League debut against future side Manchester City in March 2014. He was aged just 15 and yet a regular starter for the U18s. His skill was soon noticed by England and he was selected to play for the national U16s in the Victory Shield tournament.
Roberts has remained at Manchester City since leaving us but spent two-and-a-half seasons on loan at Scottish side Celtic, winning back-to-back trebles. He gained further experience at Spanish side Girona and Norwich City. He is currently on loan at fellow Championship side Middlesbrough.
Moussa Dembélé (Striker)
The tricky Frenchman signed for Fulham at the age of 16 in 2012 from Paris Saint-Germain and quickly became a crucial player for Steve Wigley’s U18s. His incredible talent was clear to see right from the off and it didn’t take long for him to make the big step up.
He made his professional debut in November 2013 after coming on as a substitute in the 83rd minute in a 3-0 loss against West Ham United. It was reported that Tottenham were interested in the forward, but he chose a switch to Scotland and joined Celtic under Brendan Rodgers in 2016.
He continued to shine and helped his side win the domestic treble. He soon caught the eye of French side Lyon, who he signed for in 2018 for a hefty sum of £19 million. The 23-year-old has scored 42 goals since joining.