AFC Telford United: The 2025/26 season in review

After achieving promotion back to the National League North through the play-offs last season many expected a season of struggle towards the bottom end of the division this term, especially given the level of resources available to other teams at the level.

In truth it turned out to be a rather comfortable one for Kevin Wilkin’s side, who were even able to mount decent runs in the FA Cup and the FA Trophy throughout the season, and the foundations have hopefully been set for more success going forward.

Here are some of the major talking points from the 2025/26 campaign:

Successes

Put in the most simple terms, the fact that Telford will be playing in the National League North next season is the biggest and most important success of all.

Given the level of competition and financial power in the English non-league system nowadays there were at least half-a-dozen full-time sides in the league during the 2025/26, and Telford went stride to stride with many of them which is an impressive feat.

Progress in both the FA Cup and the FA Trophy was an added bonus, both on the pitch and for the club’s finances. A 6-0 win at Darlington to secure a spot in round one of the FA Cup was memorable, as was the 4-3 comeback win over National League side Altrincham in the FA Trophy.

Individual successes include Wolves loanee Josh Gracey, who joined as injury cover for Brandon Hall but went on to win the club’s Young Player of the Season award. He was named on Wolves’ bench towards the end of the Premier League Season.

Remi Walker enjoyed a coming-of-age season with 18 goals in 53 games in all competitions, while Matty Stenson reached a century of appearances in black and white with a record of a goal every other game.

Failures

In many ways this is Telford being victims of their own success, but given the position they found themselves in at the end of February it has hard not to look at an 11th-placed finish as somewhat disappointing.

The end of season slump, where the Bucks won just three of their final 12 games and fell out of the play-off picture, was kicked off by a shock 2-1 defeat at home to bottom side Leamington. If you are looking for the worst performance and most damaging result of the season it is hard to come up with any other answer than that Tuesday night at the start of March.

More was perhaps expected from Ricardo Dinanga, with the former fans favourite returning on loan from Shropshire rivals Shrewsbury in August. With just three goals in 38 games in all competitions it is hard to call that signing anything other than a failure, albeit 32 of those appearances came from the subs bench. The Irish winger just never did enough to shift Dylan Allen-Hadley from the starting 11.

Manager

After guiding the club to promotion through the play-offs, overcoming his own personal hoodoo in that regard, Kevin Wilkin had plenty of credit in the bank coming into this season, and he has only added to that over the last nine months.

It has not always been easy. Navigating a tricky start where the Bucks failed to win any of their first five games, followed by a run of two wins in nine between October and December, the way Telford bounced back from disappointment was testament to Wilkin and the squad he assembled.

Key to that was the recruitment in the summer. In the two seasons at step three Telford required mid-season rebuilds after getting things wrong in the summer, but Wilkin was spot on prior to this season.

By identifying younger, high-potential players like Khanya Leshabela, Amar Dyer and Jamie Meddows, Wilkin built a squad capable of competing at the top of the division on a budget that should have seen them make an immediate return to step three.

His multiple Manager of the Month nominees say everything about how pivotal the experienced gaffer has been to Telford’s season.

Off The Field

While the football side of things has been pretty busy, it has been a fairly quiet season off the field for Telford.

The connection between supporters and squad remains strong, and the progress in that department over the last three years is continually a point of discussion and pride as far as Kevin Wilkin is concerned.

Financially the club are still well-run, and their progress in both cup competitions will help that, but their ‘self-sustainable’ model does leave them scrapping at the bottom of the table when it comes to the money they can offer players. They were being outspent by several clubs in the divisions below too throughout the 2025/26 campaign, with three of those - Hednesford, Harborough and Spalding - set to join the Bucks in the National League North in 2026/27.

A permanent training ground is still something the club and especially Wilkin are keen for, but limited progress appears to have been made on that front recently.

What Next?

Another season in the National League North, and the logical expectation would be another season of progress and solidity on and off the pitch.

However, that could prove to be more challenging than the club might have liked, especially as their success last term will likely lead to players, new and old, expecting bigger financial packages to play next season.

Some key men from the 2025/26 will likely move on and are understood to be ‘considering their options’ in the off season. The lure of full-time football will certainly prove hard to compete with, while ‘Mr Telford’ Jordan Piggott has already confirmed he will be leaving the club to join Welsh Cup winners Caernarfon Town. He will be playing in the Europa Conference League next season.

Telford do look susceptible to ‘second season syndrome,’ but as already discussed this squad and manager are built of sterner stuff, and will certainly relish being the underdogs once again.

Again, success would be survival, and anything else would be a bonus. Telford do not want to be back in the wild west of step three football again any time soon.