AFC Telford United unite for team photo
AFC Telford United's up-and-coming young footballers got to spend time with their first-team counterparts to celebrate the launch of the club's youth revamp.
Youngsters from the clubs nine youth teams – which range from under eights to under-16s – were all at the New Bucks Head on Thursday night to pose with and chat to first-team players.
The evening was organised to celebrate the club's new youth structure which now sees all age-groups playing in a league environment.
Dave Topping, chairman of AFC Telford youth development, said: "This season is the first season we have had a full youth set-up running from under-eights to under-16 age-groups.
"The season kicked off a fortnight ago and the one thing wanted to make clear is that we are all part of the same football club so we wanted to get every player down to the ground for one great big team photo."
The club wanted to attract more youth players in a bid to hopefully bring through more first team players in the future.
Mr Topping added: "I mentioned last season that the one thing the club was lacking was the real development of young footballers within the Telford & Wrekin area.
"It was discussed at board level that we would look to re-introduce younger teams under tee banner of the football club.
"The aim of course is to develop young players because we have have been crying out for home-grown talent at the club for a long time. A lot of talent seems to disappear out of the county and now we intend to keep it.
"We plan to introduce an under 18s side next season and we also plan to introduce and under-14 girls side which will feed into our under-16s girls sides which is our only girls team at the moment.
"But they are doing fantastically well.
"After two games this season, they are top of the league and have scored 26 goals and conceded one.
"That's the aim – to have teams at every age-group doing well."
