Listed: Shrewsbury Town's youngest-ever players after Hugo Aiston makes history
We take a look at some of the youngest-ever players who have pulled on the Salop shirt over the years.
Shrewsbury Town’s final game of the season saw history made as teenager Hugo Aiston became the youngest player ever to feature for the club.
The 15-year-old, who turns 16 in August, came off the bench at Gillingham to set the new record at 15 years and 248 days.
Aiston also became the youngest player to feature in League Two this season. Remarkably, three of the top four youngest players in the league are from Salop: Aiston, Will Gray, and Isaac England.
Following in the footsteps of his father, Sam, Aiston’s proud family watched on as he made history, capping a brilliant week in which he also helped Shrewsbury’s under-18s secure the league title in emphatic fashion.
With Aiston’s milestone achieved, here’s a look back at some of the other youngest players to pull on a Shrewsbury shirt:
Simba Nyamwanza
Nyamwanza previously held the record before Aiston, making his debut at exactly 16 years old in November 2023 during a 3-2 EFL Trophy win over Walsall. The Zimbabwean came on as a 79th-minute substitute.
Harvey Watts
Watts made his first-team debut aged 16 years and 74 days on August 30, 2022, starting in a 2-1 EFL Trophy defeat to Wolves.
He lined up alongside several other youngsters, including Travis Hernes (16 years, 9 months, 26 days) and Jude Collins (16 years, 10 months, 14 days) - all three in the top 10 youngest-ever players for Salop.
Watts later made his league debut as a substitute against Lincoln City on August 19, 2023.
Will Gray
Gray has recently impressed in midfield during the final weeks of Salop’s campaign. The Bayston Hill prodigy made his professional debut on August 26 last year as a substitute in an EFL Trophy tie against Chelsea under-21s at 16 years, four months, and seven days old.
He went on to make his first league appearance against Bristol Rovers in March and earned his first start against Oldham Athletic last month, making four consecutive appearances to finish the season.
Jamie Tolley
Former midfielder and Shropshire Star columnist Jamie Tolley made his debut on November 20, 1999, in a 2-2 FA Cup draw with Oxford United, aged 16 years and 193 days - the youngest player in the club’s history at that time.
Tolley went on to make more than 200 appearances for Shrewsbury before joining Macclesfield and was a regular for Wales under-21s between 2001 and 2005.
Lifumpa Mwandwe
The winger made his debut aged 16 years, nine months, and four days as a late substitute in a 3-0 EFL Trophy win over West Bromwich Albion Under-21s on October 3, 2017.
After leaving Shrewsbury in 2020, Mwandwe joined Newtown before moving to HFX Wanderers in the Canadian Premier League and now plays for Welsh side Cardiff Met in the Cymru Premier.
Tom Bloxham
Bloxham made his debut in April 2021 as a substitute against Lincoln City in League One at 16 years, 10 months, and 20 days.
The academy graduate made a total of four appearances before signing his first professional contract at 17. The 22-year-old now plays for Blackpool.
Isaac England
The academy product is just outside the top 10 youngest-ever players for Salop. He made his professional debut on April 21 last year, appearing as a late substitute against Northampton Town just before his 17th birthday.
A lifelong fan who joined the academy at age five, England has recently returned to action under Gavin Cowan after injury and illness.
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