Manstone Lane saw another 16-year-old make his Town senior debut last weekend.

Freddie King, son of Olympian Mary King MBE, became the latest youngsters to wear the first team shirt of the Vikings.

It is not lost on Town boss Josh Stunell just what a rich vein of talent he has coming through the youth ranks at the club.

Stunell says: “We really are in a very healthy position as a club with the development of so many talented youngsters coming through at the same time. It’s highly unusual for this number of young players to come from an Under-16 team and make such an apparently seamless entry into senior football.”

He continued: “It’s happened once for me before. When I was at Seaton Town I had then an under-14 side who looked special and we took them all the way through to end up with as many as nine playing in the senior side. For me that became a blueprint for sustainability at a football club and I am determined that Sidmouth Town will not miss out on this current rich stream of young talent coming through.”

King was introduced to the adult game with 15 minutes remaining of the 2-1 defeat to Alphington.

It was fitting that he did get some playing time for, in the same game, an Under-16 team mate of his emerged as the Town Man of the Match!

Jamie Newbery has been bagging rave reviews since he reached his 16th birthday and so became eligible to step up into the adult game.

Stunell could be forgiven for having a diary full of birthdays given the number of talented players in the club’s Under-16 side!

Jack de Winton is set to be the next. Stunell says: “They’ll all get a chance and I have little doubt that the long term future of the club is being set in stone right now at Under-15 and Under-16 level.”