Hotshot Striker Scores 5 in Trial Match for Shrewsbury Town
Shrewsbury Town have invited Sunni Nicholls back for a further look after he scored five goals in his first trial match for the club.
The 12-year-old striker, who can play off of both feet, attended two of our trials earlier this year in Birmingham and received interest from scouts on both occasions.
It is known that up to three other clubs have also made contact with Sunni’s family to register their interest, but Shrewsbury have gone one stage further and have already invited him in for two trial sessions.
During the first trial - a match held at Shrewsbury College that gave lots of young hopeful’s the chance to play against each other - Sunni scored an astonishing five goals and put in a performance that ensured his progress to the next stage.
He was then invited back for a match against the club’s academy and is now waiting to hear on a decision from the club, his dad Kevin explained.
“We’re just waiting to hear back now, he got picked up from UK Football Trials and it all went from there,” said Kevin.
“Hopefully it will be that they will offer a place either at the academy or in the shadow squad, but whatever happens Sunni has enjoyed it.
“It’s different to other grounds we’ve been to in the past and it’s a nice clubs who have given him a good opportunity.”
Shrewsbury will likely be hoping to get the deal wrapped up quickly, given the amount of apparent interest in the striker and his proven track record.
Despite his tender years Sunni has already earned himself an respectable CV; at aged 9 he had a spell with Cardiff City and last season enjoyed six-week-trials with both Aston Villa and Walsall.
So it comes of little surprise that Sunni caught the eye of so many potential suitors at our trials this year, and the Shrewsbury scout revealed exactly what he liked about the youngster.
He said: “Sunni looked like a technically gifted player and one who could play.
“And in the time between first seeing him at the trial and when he came for a trial with the club he had grown a lot in just seven or eight weeks, so it looks like he’ll develop well physically too.”
He added: “The coaches liked him after the first session and had to take him through to the next stage. We’ll just need to decide now what will be best for him going forward, whether that will be the academy or the shadow squad, but we’ve certainly been impressed.”
A decision will made on Sunni’s future over the next few weeks, but in the mean time he will continue practising and working hard to give himself every chance, according to his Dad.
Kevin said: “He has a membership at the leisure centre close to us and is up there most nights with a ball by himself, and he trains with his team three times a week as well.
“On top of that he spends a lot of time in the gym, he’s really committed to making it and now we just have to see what happens.
“But UK Football Trials have helped him a lot, we really liked it and we would like to do it again this summer depending on what happens. There are a lot of scouts watching you play and a great day out and a good opportunity.”