Histon Football Club look to have a bright future after Under-18s are crowned Thurlow Nunn Youth League champions

The future is looking bright at Histon Football Club.

A 2-1 win over Bury Town on April 25 saw the Stutes’ Under-18s clinch the Thurlow Nunn Youth Football League Cambridge Division title – the first time the club has celebrated having champions in that age group since the 2014/15 season.

Manager Alfie Oakman, who took charge of the team last summer after a four-year stint at Newmarket Town, said: “We’ve had a really good mix of first and second years.

“It’s a good group that last year finished third or fourth, but they lacked a little bit of confidence so we changed a few things and they’ve all really gelled together.

“We’ve lost just one game in the league all season and that shows the never say die attitude that this group has got. They’ve been brilliant and deserve the succes.”

The squad’s success has also not gone unnoticed within the club. Reserve team manager Matt Payne has called up a double-figure number of the under-18s to play in the CSI Senior B Division of the Cambridgeshire County League this season, while first-team boss Lance Key has also used a number of them on his side’s way to a top six finish in the Uhlsport United Counties League Premier Division South.

Oakman added: “Lance was watching the other night when we won the league and he’s been really supportive all season.

“Matt has also shown lots of support and the three of us get on well together. We’ve been really keen to create a clear pathway and it’s worked well.

“Around 15 of the lads have played for the reserves and seven or eight of them have played for Lance as well.

“We’ve all helped each other out and it has allowed the lads to get some really valuable experience of men’s football.”

A number of Oakman’s team will now have to move on into senior football, while some are planning to move to America to combine their football with further studies.

“The first years will become second years and hopefully kick on,” said Oakman. “And we’re hoping to bring in some more good youngsters from the local area.”