Built at the Junction: Elliot’s 10-Year Pathway and Tyler’s First-Team Debut

What a day for the club. After 10 years as a Junction junior, 16-year-old Elliot Roberts made his senior men’s debut this weekend, an incredible moment not only for him but for everyone involved in Llandudno Junction Football Club.

Elliot Roberts & Tyler jones both making their senior debuts.

Elliot stepped onto the pitch alongside his teammate Tyler Jones, marking a huge milestone for our youth pathway. He was originally meant to come on for just a few minutes at the end of the game, but due to an injury he ended up playing nearly 50 minutes. That is an amazing amount of time for a debut at his age, and he handled it brilliantly.

Elliot’s journey with the Junction began a decade ago at Under 7s, where he played a year up for the U7 Tornados with Gav and Mike. When the rules changed and he could no longer play up an age group, he joined his own age group with the Dragons under Mark, and he has remained with them ever since.

Elliot in his first ever Junction Kit.

Throughout his junior football, Elliot has absolutely loved being part of the Junction. He has played a huge role in the U16 Dragons’ success in recent years, helping the team go on an incredible unbeaten run and winning the league back-to-back. As captain, he has been a leader both on and off the pitch, driving his team forward and setting standards.

Elliot’s commitment and attitude have definitely caught the attention of first team coaches Ian and Colin, who invited him to start training with the first team as soon as he turned 16. His senior debut is the result of years of dedication, passion, and hard work. Tyler also stepping up with him shows the strength and depth within our youth setup and the opportunities we are creating for our young players.

This is a fantastic day for the club, better than any result, because it shows exactly what we are trying to achieve: development, progression, and opportunities for players who have given their entire junior football journey to the Junction badge. Seeing them step up into senior football is what this club is all about.

We hope this inspires other U16 dragons players to start knocking on the first team door, with the U15 Sharks not far behind as they continue their own development.

The future is bright for the club with Elliot and Tyler leading the way, and their debut is just the beginning. Everyone at the Junction is incredibly proud.