News

Shots Agree to Sign Tractor Boy Kundai

Aldershot Town have agreed to sign Ipswich Town Academy graduate Kundai Benyu on a one-month youth loan, subject to completion of paperwork.

The Camden-born Zimbabwean midfielder, who turns 19 on Monday, has been on the fringes of the first-team at Portman Road for almost two years, and has twice been named as a first-team substitute having turned professional in February 2015.

A skilful and stylish central-midfielder, he has remained a regular in the Club’s Under 18 and Under 23 sides – as well as featuring on trial for Tottenham Hotspur’s Under 19 side in May’s Next Generation Series Tournament in Amsterdam – and is contracted to The Tractorboys until next summer.

Benyu is the first player to join The Shots with assistance from the new Boost The Budget scheme, and Shots Trust Chairman, and Club Director, Tommy Anderson, said: “It is the direct contributions of supporters which have enabled the Club to make this signing. Every penny donated to Boost the Budget is greatly appreciated, and we want this to be the first of many signings that we can help with.”

Gary Waddock continued: “I am very grateful for the support of Boost the Budget, and to all those supporters who have joined so far. It will be invaluable for me for the rest of the season and in seasons to come.

“Kundai is another exciting young player who will add extra depth and quality to the squad. He is very good technically and bolsters an area where we are currently short on numbers. Both James (Rowe) and myself have seen him develop in the Ipswich Town Academy and we look forward to working with him on this next stage in his development.”

Launched in September as the successor to the PlayerShare Fund, Boost the Budget invites fans to contribute directly to Gary Waddock’s first-team playing budget and increase a supporters’ stake in the Club. By donating just £10 per month, supporters can help push The Shots Trust towards their initial target of £30,000 – potentially the difference between a good and a great season.

To join, simply complete the standing order form (downloadable here as a Word document or here as a PDF) or instruct your bank to set up a standing order payable to Aldershot Town Supporters Society Limited, via The Co-Operative Bank, Sort Code 08-92-99 and Account Number 65415070, with ‘BTB’ as the reference. Alternatively, one-off or periodic donations are greatly appreciated, either by bank transfer or cheques made payable to Aldershot Town Supporters Society Limited.