This is what we've been preparing to get to
—Alfie Mulvenna
Alfie Mulvenna: The boys are excited for Saturday
Crystal Palace Under-18s defender Alfie Mulvenna has given his thoughts ahead of the Young Eagles’ 2026/27 season opener away to West Ham United on Saturday.
The 16-year-old joined Palace this summer from Northern Irish side FC Larne as one of 13 new scholars and is now preparing for his first competitive appearance in England.
The Young Eagles open their U18 Premier League South campaign at the Young Hammers, with the competition the top level of U18 football for Category One academies.
“Yeah, I feel good,” Mulvenna said. “We've been working really hard in pre-season. Javi [Alonso] and Toddy [Svetoslav Todorov] have been working us flat out and all the boys have been putting in 100% effort, so this is what we've been preparing to get to.
“West Ham will be a tough test, obviously away from home first game, but we're looking to go there and come away with three points and nothing else.”
I'm dying to be back playing
—Alfie Mulvenna
The centre-back joined Larne aged three and was training with the first team by 13. He helped the club’s U16 and U18 sides win league titles before featuring for the U18s and U20s at just 15.
After making his senior breakthrough last season, Mulvenna’s progress was interrupted by a long-term injury. Now, he is relishing his return to competitive action.
“I've obviously had quite a bit of experience back home and stuff and being on trial. Now it's getting serious and I'm dying to be back playing,” he said.
“It'll be my first competitive match back in six months and I'm more than ready. I feel really fit and good to go. Now it's a good opportunity and I want to come away with three points.”
It's been good prep for Saturday
—Alfie Mulvenna
The Young Eagles have prepared for the new campaign with five pre-season fixtures against a varied mix of opposition, including Category One and Category Three academies, an international U18 side and non-league teams.
For Mulvenna, it has been an important period of adaptation, with a new-look group also getting to grips with Alonso’s playing style.
“It's been positive in certain aspects. There's quite a lot of new players, it's a new group, so we've been getting used to playing with each other and finding out what people are good at.
“Obviously, it's a new playing style with Javi and Toddy that the boys weren't used to and obviously I wasn't used to. It's been good preparation for Saturday.”
Everybody's up for West Ham
—Alfie Mulvenna
Mulvenna has also enjoyed working under Alonso, who begins his second full season in charge of the U18s.
“Javi's a brilliant coach,” he said. “It's hard to understand him sometimes with Spanish, but Javi's top. I love working with him and obviously want to learn more and more from him as I go through my career here.”
And with the competitive campaign finally here, Mulvenna believes the Young Eagles are ready.
“Everybody's up for it, you can tell. The boys are excited for it.
“We're getting tight as a group and we're strong. I think everybody's looking forward to it and everybody's the same mindset that we want to go there and get the three points.”
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Match Details
West Ham United Under-18s v Crystal Palace Under-18s
- Saturday, 15th August
- KO: 11:00 BST
- Little Heath
- U18 Premier League South