By Martin Walker
Newton Aycliffe have tonight completed an exciting double signing, with flying winger Kris Hughes following midfielder Martin Young to the club.
The Newtonians confirmed the capture of West Auckland’s highly-rated attacking midfielder Young yesterday.
And boss Allan Oliver has followed it up today by adding former Whitley Bay man Hughes to his ranks.
Hughes counts West Allotment Celtic, Birtley Town, Whitley Bay and Jarrow Roofing as former stops along his Northern League timeline.
It was at Birtley where he first caught Oliver’s eye, his pace making him a constant threat in two games at Moore Lane Park in 2009 (League and Durham Challenge Cup).
A move to Jarrow Roofing who were flying high in the second tier at the time saw him again play Aycliffe twice, where he made two and scored the other in Roofers’ 3-1 victory over the Newtonians at Boldon.
Moving to Whitley Bay at the start of last season, Hughes found opportunities hard to come by, coupled with injury woe, and he rejoined Richie McLoughlin’s Roofing in the winter, but his performances (including two further goals against Aycliffe in a 5-2 reverse) could not prevent relegation.
Young played 36 games for league runners-up West last season, scoring seven goals, and was a second-half substitute at Wembley in their FA Vase Final defeat against Dunston.
He’s played a total of 99 games in the last three years, scoring 11 goals, after joining them from Hartlepool United, where he’d spent two years as a professional.
Aycliffe Today will bring you interviews with both new signings in the next few days, as well as reaction from chairman Gary Farley.
● Forward Warren Byrne has joined Northern League second division side Crook Town.