MILK CUP: Jennings and Magilton make Milk Cup draw

Northern Ireland legend Pat Jennings was in Belfast on Tuesday to make the draw for this year's Milk Cup.

His former club Tottenham Hotspur are returning to the youth tournament while Japan's U20 side will compete in the Elite section.

"The line-up is exceptional and ensures that the competition remains as one of the leading youth tournaments in the world," said Jennings.

Former Northern Ireland star Jim Magilton helped Jennings make the draw.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp made the draw last year and he promised to send a team from White Hart Lane to contest the Milk Cup in 2010.

"Harry was so impressed with the high standard of the competition that he pledged to see Spurs return and I'm pleased he has been able to keep that promise," added Jennings.

Jennings, who made a record 119 appearances for Northern Ireland, is still involved with Spurs as a goalkeeping coach.

You learn so much about yourself and your ability competing in a tournament like the Milk Cup.

Jim Magilton

This summer Tottenham's latest batch of hopefuls will compete in the Premier event alongside holders Manchester United and Chelsea.

Former Ipswich Town and QPR manager manager played at the tournament in 1985 with Belfast side Star of the Sea.

"It was the first major competition I ever played in and it was a memorable experience for me," he said

"You learn so much about yourself and your ability competing in a tournament like the Milk Cup, coming up against some of the best players in the world at your age group.

"When I was manager of Ipswich I was happy to send a team to the tournament because it is so important in the development of young players."

The tournament kicks off on Monday 26 July, following a parade of the 54 competing teams through Coleraine the previous day.

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Milk Cup fixtures

Junior section

Monday - Swindon Town v Cruz Azul; Everton v FC Puebla; Chelsea v South Coast Bayern; Club Marcet v Co. Londonderry; Dundalk Schoolboys v Co. Antrim; Queen of the South v Co. Armagh; Vaag FK v Hapoel Haifa; Kashima Antlers v Aspire; Spartak Moscow v Hapoel Beersheba; Plymouth Argyle v Co. Tyrone; Watford v Co. Down; Brentford v Co. Fermanagh.

Tuesday - Co. Londonderry v Swindon Town; Co. Antrim v Everton; Co. Armagh v Chelsea; Cruz Azul v Club Marcet; FC Puebla v Dundalk Schoolboys; South Coast Bayern v Queen of the South; Hapoel Haifa v Plymouth Argyle; Aspire v Watford; Hapoel Beersheba v Brentford; Co. Tyrone v Vaag FK; Co. Down v Kashima Antlers; Co. Fermanagh v Spartak Moscow.

Premier section

Monday, July 26 - Tottenham Hotspur v Co. Londonderry; Sheffield Utd v Co. Armagh; Manchester Utd v Co. Tyrone; Shamrock Rovers v KV Mechelen; Cherry Orchard v Etoile Lusitana; Queen of the South v Aspire. FC Porto v Club Marcet; South Coast Bayern v Saint Augustin; Deportivo v Cruz Azul; Belvedere v Co. Fermanagh; Donegal Schoolboys v Co. Antrim; Hartlepool v Co. Down.

Tuesday, July 27 - KV Mechelen v Tottenham Hotspur; Etoile Lusitana v Sheffield Utd; Aspire v Manchester Utd; Co. Londonderry v Shamrock Rovers; Co. Armagh v Cherry Orchard; Co. Tyrone v Queen of the South; Club Marcet v Belvedere; Saint Augustin v Donegal Schools; Cruz Azul v Hartlepool Utd; Co. Fermanagh v FC Porto; Co. Antrim v South Coast Bayern; Co. Down v Deportivo Brazil.

Elite section

Monday, July 26 - Northern Ireland v Mexico; USA v China; Japan v Denmark.

Wednesday, July 28 - Mexico v Japan; China v Northern Ireland; Denmark v USA.