Youth football is returning to Redding Way with the relaunch of Knaphill Football Club’s under-18 team.

The club has applied to join the Allied Counties Youth League for the 2024-25 season and to compete in the FA Youth Cup. All home games will be played at Redding Way.

This team will be co-managed by Andy Crombie, Matt Pender and Ross Walker.

Andy began his coaching career with Rushmoor Community Football Club, where he coached the club’s youth teams for nine years.

Last season his under-14s won the North East Hampshire Youth League Premier Division and finished runners-up in the under-14 league cup age group. They twice finished runners-up in the under-14 Hampshire Futsal Cup.

He is a qualified coach and mentor from the Chartered Management Institute. He is currently in charge of Rushmoor Community’s under-14s, who are playing an age group up and are top of the under-15 North East Hampshire Youth League Premier Division.

Matt has four years of coaching experience. Most recently he managed Rushmoor Community’s under-15s, who competed in the North East Hampshire Youth League Premier Division on Saturdays and in the Surrey Primary League Premier Elite Division on Sundays.

He also managed Rushmoor Community Youth Girls Yellows under-12s for the past three seasons, which is testament to his coaching credentials.

Ross managed and coached from under-seven to under-16 level while at Frimley Green. He also managed The Frimmers’ under-23s for five seasons before spending a season assisting former boss Simon Martin at Dial Square.

To ensure the players’ physical well-being on and off the field, the club are pleased to confirm the appointment of Rob Dunfold as the under-18s fitness, strength and conditioning coach. Rob is a trained first aider and a level five performance coach.

Knaphill chairman Chris Drane is pleased with the continual progression of the club. He said: “Since taking on the chair back in 2022, I have been keen to reinstate the under-18 team.

“We already have a very successful under-14 team, so adding an under-18 team is another step forward to bolstering our pathway for progression.

“I have no doubt that our new under-18 management team will achieve what they set out to achieve and see more players transition from the youth team into the first team.”

The club will be holding trials for the under-18 team in the near future. There will be further announcements with the dates and venues.

Last Saturday was a day off for Knaphill’s first team, who are still sitting in second place in the Combined Counties League Premier Division South, three points ahead of Jersey Bulls with four matches each to play.

On Tuesday night Knaphill were due to host Tadley Calleva, knowing that a win would secure a place in the play-offs, and on Saturday they are at home to Colliers Wood United.

April 20 will see a third successive home game at Redding Way against Redhill, before Knaphill finish their league season away to Balham, at AFC Croydon Athletic’s ground, on April 27.