The first piece of silverware for our new academy graduates has been won in the capital after a successful pre-season camp which kickstarts what will be an exciting season ahead.
After a strong 2-0 victory over Barnet U18 on Monday, the group faced two days of tournament football in the Cygnus Cup 2026.
Day one saw the young Spireites play six games, winning five with only one loss, scoring 11 goals in that period, whilst only conceding two. With the fantastic results from the first day of competition, it put the squad in a great position to go on and challenge for the trophy.
The second day of action saw the U17’s leave the capital with the Cygnus Cup after four more games which included two wins and two draws seeing the group finish the tournament with ten games played, seven wins, two draws and one loss – a successful achievement for the lads after being invited to the tournament as guests.
There were some standout performances from the group across the three days. Koday Chambers and Harry Goddard finished joint top scorers in the tournament along with two others from different clubs, whilst Jacob Newstead was named player of the tournament with consistent quality throughout the competition.
Justin Tellus, the club’s head of academy recruitment said: “It was a valuable experience for the new academy graduates ahead of the new season around the corner.”
With the U17’s playing high level opposition across London, it will have provided a clear benchmark for the players to progress across the final stages of their pre-season as success and learning curves will be made apparent for the group to continue their development.
Away from the pitch, the lads had plenty of time to bond as a group after a sightseeing tour of London, whilst also spending time with each other at the hotel during meals, team-building challenges and meetings.
The team will now turn their attention towards the new season as they look to kick on and develop across the year ahead.
