Moors have once again underlined their commitment to providing a genuine pathway for young talent by signing up four promising teenagers on non-contract deals.
Dan Atkinson, James Barron, Kingston Butler and Finlay Rose all put pen to paper at The Brewery Field last week following discussions with Head of Football Jason Ainsley and boss Graeme Lee.
The quartet impressed whilst playing youth football for the Club during 2024/25 and will now be given the opportunity to shine at senior level by joining Moors’ First Team squad in training in pre-season.
It once again highlights the Club’s dedication to providing a platform for youngsters to develop their abilities with both the Youth Team and the Academy sides which run in partnership with New College Durham and Bede College in Billingham.
“I’m proud to welcome the four young players into our First Team squad,” said Head of Football, Jason Ainsley.
“Each of these young men has shown outstanding commitment, attitude, and potential throughout their development journey so far.
“Their progression is a credit to the hard work they’ve put in, as well as the dedication of our Youth and Academy staff who have supported their growth on and off the pitch.
“This is a special milestone for any player, and they thoroughly deserve this opportunity. We believe in developing our own talent, and giving them a platform to grow, compete, and thrive at senior level and hopefully this is the start of that cycle.”
Goalkeeper Barron, midfielder Atkinson and Rose and forward Butler will now be part of Lee’s squad as they return for pre-season training on Thursday and prepare for a rigorous warm-up campaign ahead of the big kick-off on Saturday 9th August.
“I have always said that if you’re good enough you’re old enough,” insisted Moors boss Graeme Lee.
“The four who have signed non-contract forms have shown their ability consistently during their time in our youth ranks and it’s now about them making the step into men’s football.
“There will be opportunities for them in pre-season with us and we will also be looking to use our network in senior football locally to get them that experience of playing league football in a competitive environment.
“It’s also another indication that this Football Club is determined to provide talented youngsters with a pathway into senior football and that will hopefully encourage more up and coming talent to connect themselves with Spennymoor Town.”
Moors have expanded the pathway opportunities for local youngsters this summer by developing a new partnership with Bede College which will see a second team entered into the National Football Youth League.
As well as that, the Club’s success at youth level was further highlighted when two Spennymoor Town teams went head-to-head in the Durham FA Youth Cup Final hosted at The Brewery Field in April.
“This Club is focused on ensuring that the youngsters in our system prosper as footballers and as people,” added Ainsley.
“We’ve now got so many different opportunities for boys and girls to be part of Spennymoor Town and it’s exciting to see how that can continue developing in the future.”
