Albion's Under-17s Premier League Cup final victory over Middlesbrough was the best moment of coach Mark Beard's career.
He said it was made extra special by the group he has had the pleasure of working with this season.
“It most definitely is the pinnacle of my coaching career. To win trophies is brilliant, but to do it with this group of lads is a fantastic feeling. The boys play in a way that is enjoyable to watch and they work hard out of possession as well.
“They literally crawled off the pitch at full-time whistle, they fully deserve to win the competition.
Champions ❤️🏆 https://t.co/3wY0OcpdLB
— Mark Beard (@markbeard37) May 5, 2021
“Seeing them lift the trophy was the cherry on the cake. It was a reward for everything they have done this season and their families were able to watch them for the first time this year, which was great.
“The last thing I told them before they went out was 'I have been in the game 30 years and these moments don’t come along often, take advantage.' They did and they’ll remember it for the rest of their lives.”
Albion were in control for the full 90 minutes, something they have learned from earlier games in the competition.
“The best thing is they have learned from experiences,” added Beard. “ They played at Villa Park in the FA Youth Cup and they froze, but with this group you only have to tell them once and they learn so quickly.
“We told them that to play at any level you have to get over that fear and they proved that against Middlesbrough. They controlled the game.”
Goals from Andrew Moran and Marcus Ifill sealed the 2-0 win, while an incredible save from Toby Bull at 1-0 was also crucial.
“Andrew [Moran] has been coming up with bits of magic like that all season. A member of his family passed away a few days before the game so he wanted to do his family proud. That just shows his character. To score with the ease he did was unbelievable, it was a goal of the season.
“Toby Bull has been brilliant this season. He didn't play a game last year, but he’s taken his chance after Fynn Talley got injured. The save he made was world class and that performance summed up his season.
“Marcus' last two or three goals demonstrated his composure in front of goal. It eased the pressure on us and killed the game off.”