Ruth: We showed personality to beat Manchester United

Main Club Sponsor

TICKETS

SHOP

Our under-21s won the PL2 play-off final on Saturday and head coach Shannon Ruth felt they deserved to.

Nick Szczepanik

2026-05-17T08:30+01:00

Delight for our men's under-21s after they beat Manchester United to win the PL2 play-off final. 📷Paul Hazlewood

Head coach Shannon Ruth believes that his under-21s had to show two different sides of their personality as a team to beat Manchester United and win the Premier League 2 play-off final.

Ruth’s team scored the only goal of Saturday’s match at the American Express Stadium through Tyler Silsby after 57 minutes. But although Albion had dominated up to that point, United gradually took over, and the players had to resist a stream of attacks from the visitors, the most intense coming in eight minutes of added time in a tense finale.

“It was incredible,” Shannon said afterwards against a background of noisy celebrations.

“We've spoken before about the different sides of us as a team. We had wonderful quality in the first half and how we weren't ahead was probably our only disappointment. Because we played some lovely stuff. We had some great chances.

“And you're always a little bit nervous when you play against someone of Man United's quality. You know that they only need one moment. But the lads regrouped so well at half time, got a deserved goal and then showed the team spirit to defend, to run and to never give up. That's a wonderful attribute to have as a group of players.

“It's about winning and losing, but it's about the growth of a group. And on Saturday we showed every part of our game.”

Shannon Ruth on the Amex touchline during Albion's win over Manchester United. 📷Paul Hazlewood

The eight minutes of added time must have felt like 80. “I'm looking and thinking, 'Has the Amex clock got slower?' he said. “I'm not sure where it came from. But again they never gave up. That was really, really clear to see.”

Watching captains Josh Robertson and Zane Albarus lift the trophy was some compensation for defeat on penalties at the hands of Three Bridges in the final of the Sussex Senior Cup, also at the Amex, on Wednesday.

“I said after the game on Wednesday that the occasion got the better of us,” he added. “But I think Wednesday put us in good stead.

“The way we played, the tempo we played with, caught United off guard if I'm honest. They looked a bit shocked. And they couldn't get going. Because we commanded the game, we had no fear.

“And the lads have done exactly what they've done all year. That's the challenge with a final.

"Sometimes a young player thinks that when you get to a final you've got to do something different, you've got to try extra hard. And you haven't. You've just got to do what you've always done. And I thought that was really clear to see.”