Shildon AFC has confirmed that eight members of the Club’s U18 squad have been officially registered for the upcoming season — a major step forward for the youth development pathway and a clear sign that progression from grassroots football to the first team is already becoming a reality.
The eight players are: Austin Timmiss; Jack Johnson; Connor Scaife; Logan Cator; Liam Simpson-Foster; Tom Mundell; Callum Maughan; and Finley Bowman.
Men’s First Team Manager Chris Hughes said:
We are delighted to register eight of the U18 squad for this season. Darren Craddock and the coaching team in the youth set up deserve a lot of praise for recruiting such talented players in the first year of this U18 programme. The players will train with the first team each week and be available for the first team squad this season. This is a great opportunity for them all and we look forward to supporting their development.”
Director of Youth Darren Craddock added:
This is a reward for the boys hard work and excellent attitude. Each one of them has the potential to go on and have an excellent career. We are lucky that we have a first team managerial team who believe in investing time and giving our young players opportunities. All of the boys are a reflection of how strong grassroots football is in our area with Shildon AFC providing the pathway to adult football for them at the end of their grassroots journey. We look forward to cheering them on for years to come.”
The Club’s commitment ensures that local talent can progress directly into senior football, with weekly first‑team involvement giving young players real opportunities to develop, compete, and represent Shildon AFC at adult level.
The pathway is active, visible, and working — and this group of U18 players is hopefully the first of many who will benefit from it.