AFC Telford happy to offer Shrewsbury insight on non-league 'hidden gems'

The clubs this week confirmed a new academy partnership, in which they have first refusal on each other’s players and will hold trial and coaching sessions together.

The agreement, which is likely to see more fringe youth graduates head on loan to the New Bucks Head, has been rubber-stamped after close talks over recent months.

And Bucks chief Carden, who took over midway through last season and guided Telford to National League North safety, admits he is happy to offer trade secrets on the shining lights of the semi-professional scene.

“It just makes sense, doesn’t it?” Carden said of the partnership.

Levels

“When you’ve got clubs at different levels – obviously we want to get to where Shrewsbury are but we’re a bit of a way off that at the minute.

“But we’re in a catchment area where we can work together, whether it be us loaning (their) players.

“Or them wanting our information and understanding on these leagues of whose doing well, not just in our club, but giving them the information that’s needed from other non-league clubs.

“It’s a really positive move, I think, certainly for us and certainly for Shrewsbury as well.

“The clubs are in close proximity and it’s daft not to be in some sort of partnership to help each other.”

The last major dealing between the two clubs was Town’s purchase of Bucks top scorer Daniel Udoh in 2019. Udoh enjoyed his best League One campaign in 2021/22 as comfortably his side’s leading scorer.

Other young loan prospects Ryan Barnett and Ryan Sears have done well for Telford in recent years. Salop hotshot Charlie Caton was on the Bucks’ radar for a loan in recent months.

“I’ll never turn my nose up at a loan as long as it’s right for us first and foremost,” said Carden, who inherited a Telford squad full of loans due to circumstance in a difficult season for Telford.

“The one thing you never want to do is sign loan players because you can. You want to sign them to A, improve your team and B, to give the player that experience and opportunity to further their development. If don’t kick a ball, it’s a pointless exercise altogether.

“Unless you’re playing at a certain level you’re best off playing, even at a lower level.”