West Ham THRASH Arsenal 5-1 to win the FA Youth Cup for the first time since 1999

Around 7,000 West Ham supporters – young and old – made the early evening trip across London to huddle in the bottom tier of the Emirates’ Clock End. Those hands have been tapping for 24 years without a night like this.

Those in burgundy and blue had to wait an extra 90 minutes, but then I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles blared from the stadium speakers, into the Islington sky, and the Class of 2023 took their place in Hammers folklore.

They ended that hoodoo last night by dismantling Jack Wilshere’s Arsenal on their home field. It ended 5-1 but the highlight was a rather outrageous goal from captain Gideon Kodua.

The winger knocked poor Noah Cooper off from 35 yards shortly before the break. That made it 3-1 before Kaelan Casey’s header made it four and Josh Briggs started the party minutes from time.

At one point, however, Kevin Keen’s side gave themselves a mountain to climb and fell short of Omari Benjamin’s early opener before goals from George Earthy and Callum Marshall turned this game upside down.

Finally something to enjoy for West Ham after a poor season – at least at first-team level.

Incredibly, if David Moyes’ side reach the Europa Conference League final, they will have smaller travel support than here, including first-team captain Declan Rice, who watched from the driver’s box.

For Wilshere and his players, an impressive and improbable run to the final ended in heartbreak.

This was the start of seven huge days in North London. Tonight the first team put their title hopes on the line at Manchester City and next Monday the women will take on Wolfsburg for a place in the Champions League final.

Wilshere will wonder how his side, after taking the lead and controlling much of the first half, went through the tunnel trailing 3-1. But this West Ham side sealed their first Premier League South title with a recent victory over Arsenal and they were utterly ruthless last night.

Earthy drilled home a shot from the edge of the box to equalize with virtually the visitors’ first opening and the comeback was complete minutes later, when Kodua’s precise cross was turned in by Marshall. And then came the captain’s delightful third.

Too bad Josh Robinson, who had been impressing in the heart of Arsenal’s back four until he missed his kick midway through and Kodua sped to the back. As Cooper scrambled back into his area, the attacker took aim and then led his teammates into a merry jig.

By then, Benjamin’s seventh-minute opener was a distant memory. It doesn’t matter that he was also a fine attack.

It came after a brilliant play from defense by Reuell Walters, who headed towards the West Ham area before sliding in on Amario Cozier-Duberry.

His effort from a tight angle was saved by Mason Terry, but the ball ran to the edge of the box and Benjamin curled it in for the first time.

Wilshere’s side continued to gauge even after falling behind. Right-back Michal Rosiak’s effort caused problems for the visitors, as did Arsenal’s quick runs from defense.

Ethan Nwaneri, 16, came close. So did Cozier-Duberry. The problem for the home team lay on the other side.

West Ham looked dangerous every time they came forward and this evening had turned a little grim towards the end, after Casey and substitute Briggs both scored from late corners.