Kiwi Players Elsewhere

Young Kiwis in UK

933 replies · 253,198 views
over 1 year ago
Not "young" as such in football terms, but two Kiwis plying their trades in non-league have come to light...

Te Atawahi Hudson-Wihongi has left Enfield Town and dropped down two levels to the Isthmian League Division One North (tier 8) side Walthamstow in east London. He captained them this weekend and has been pretty much ever-present when available. Currently mid-table.

Harshae Raniga is currently turning out for Balham in south London. They are in the Combined Counties League Premier South (tier 9) and he has three games so far. Club currently sits one from bottom in 19th place.

Freelance Football Writer

t: @PauloSimao55

Permalink Permalink
over 1 year ago
HattyCW
Still got a way to go, but Redfearn could potentially be a future AWs striker.



One to watch. National League North (English 6th tier), but keeps this up and will get interest higher up the the UK pyramid.

Some good scoring stats at Auckland United.
https://us.soccerway.com/players/joshua-redfearn/642250/



Permalink Permalink
over 1 year ago
Niche Cache

Here’s a yarn from a couple weeks ago after his first goal for Welling United...

Permalink Permalink
about 1 year ago
3 goals to 9 league games (6th tier) to date.

Permalink Permalink
about 1 year ago · edited about 1 year ago · History
Oliver Colloty. League Two (4th tier) Scotland debut. From Niche Cache.

45 minutes off the bench in a 1-0 win away to Edinburgh City on debut. Colloty replaced the goalscorer Kieran Sharks at half-time after their opponents had been reduced to ten men just before the break. He nearly scored too. Hit the post with a header. Fortunately, it didn’t matter because his team has the best defensive record in the division and another clean sheet victory moves them up to second in the standings.  

Peterhead would have been dragged back level with Edinburgh City if they’d lost. Instead they move six points clear of them. They’re only five points behind leaders East Fife with a game in hand. First place goes up automatically and the next three teams enter the promotion playoffs along with the second-to-last team from the division above, all competing for the last spot in League One. Should be a good standard for Colloty to ease on into the professional stuff.
Permalink Permalink
about 1 year ago
Noah Dupont (U18) West Bromwich Albion GOAL!! In a 4-2 loss to Leicester City

Joe Wallis (U21) West Bromwich Albion on the pine 

Alex Lienard Sunderland (U18) 2-0 loss to Nottingham Forrest

Jacob Borgnis Reading (U21) 2-2 Draw againts Luton Town with a yellow card

 Marley Leuluai Burnley (U18) on the pine
Permalink Permalink
about 1 year ago
Niche Cache. Perhead currently 2nd in the Scottish 4th tier, so in the running for promotion.

Permalink Permalink
about 1 year ago · edited about 1 year ago · History
Home sick?

Seeing alot of fans did not want him to leave.
Permalink Permalink
about 1 year ago · edited about 1 year ago · History
Scottish League Two (4th tier). Peterhead are 2nd, 4 pts behind East Fife.
1st automatically promoted, spots 2nd-4th into playoffs.

Early days but the 2023 U20s WC alumni so far, certainly not a patch on Des's 2019 U20s squad edition. Of course there being no 2021 WC

Permalink Permalink
about 1 year ago
Central defender Noah Dupont broke the deadlock on eight minutes - heading home from an Alfie Maughan corner kick, before midfielder Fran Cherchi rounded off an impressive team move with an equally impressive effort from outside the box to double the young Baggies' advantage. https://www.wba.co.uk/news/u18-report-albion-3-0-brighton
Permalink Permalink
about 1 year ago
Colloty came on and scored his second goal of the season in a 2-0 win for Peterhead.

Peterhead sitting 2nd, but level on points with East Fife with seven matches to go in the season, plenty of time to secure and finish 1st and avoid having to qualify for L1 through the play-offs.
Screenshot 2025-03-16 123521.png 53.21 KB
Permalink Permalink
12 months ago

Marley Leuluai Burnley (U18) Marley finally playing some consistent football, hopefully more to come.

Noah Dupont (U18) West Bromwich Albion and Joe Wallis (U21) West Bromwich Albion both in the Starting side for U21s in a 5 - 1 loss to Man U. Noah's 4th game playing up in U21s 

Jacob Borgnis Reading (U21) Started at CB in a 1-0 loss to wolves 


Permalink Permalink
12 months ago
After listening to the new episode of Goran and Spoonley's podcast, Paul Gothard said that Josey Casa-Grande at Bristol City U21s is NZ-eligible through his mother and in the conversation for the U20s. He has had a couple loans at National League North (6th tier) sides Chippenham and Bath City this season.

He also mentioned that there are a couple of 2010-born keepers (not named) at Seattle Sounders and Bristol Rovers, and a keeper at Swansea who they might look at for the U17s; guessing it's Isaac Dudding who it says has NZ citizenship.
Permalink Permalink
12 months ago
What’s the name of the podcast?

Auckland will rise once more

Permalink Permalink
12 months ago
AucklandPhoenix
What’s the name of the podcast?
The Unused Subs.

Sidenote: Casa-Grande is a sick name, I’d love a big house in goal.
Permalink Permalink
12 months ago · edited 12 months ago · History
carlind
After listening to the new episode of Goran and Spoonley's podcast, Paul Gothard said that Josey Casa-Grande at Bristol City U21s is NZ-eligible through his mother and in the conversation for the U20s. He has had a couple loans at National League North (6th tier) sides Chippenham and Bath City this season.

He also mentioned that there are a couple of 2010-born keepers (not named) at Seattle Sounders and Bristol Rovers, and a keeper at Swansea who they might look at for the U17s; guessing it's Isaac Dudding who it says has NZ citizenship.

Good finds. Remember that Isaac Dudding from a while back. Played a few times for the Welsh U15's, but I'm not aware of what he's been up to lately.

Quick dig around at work this morning for the other two - Max Carmichael (2010) is the goalkeeper at Seattle Sounders with their U15's.

The Bristol Rovers lad is a bit harder to find info on, but I've got another 8 hours at work so I might be able to sniff out a name. 😂
Permalink Permalink
12 months ago
Redfearn nets a goal to crown Welling winners of Kent Senior Cup
Permalink Permalink
12 months ago · edited 12 months ago · History
Unfortunately the goals have dried up a bit for Redfearn in the National League South (English 6th tier) with Welling. Only 1 goal in his last 11 league games. Though seems he's often been a sub. All up 5 league goals.

Welling also struggling for goals full stop. In the drop zone at 22nd in the league, and 7 points from safety
https://us.soccerway.com/national/england/conference-n--s/20242025/south/r81495/

Permalink Permalink
12 months ago
Oliver Colloty with a hat trick for Peterhead, in a 5-0 drubbing of Bonnyrigg Rose. 

How many other kiwis, bar Rufer and Wood, have scored European hat tricks? 

Greg Draper at TNS must be a good bet? Did Killen or Fallon ever hit three?
Permalink Permalink
12 months ago · edited 12 months ago · History
5-0 smashing by Peterhead over last place Bonnyrigg Rose, Colloty started and scored a hat-trick!

Clinical finishing as well apparently, three goals from three shots.

5 goals in 13 games in SLT now for Oliver.

Beaten to it
Permalink Permalink
12 months ago · edited 12 months ago · History
Rusty Dunks
Oliver Colloty with a hat trick for Peterhead, in a 5-0 drubbing of Bonnyrigg Rose. 

How many other kiwis, bar Rufer and Wood, have scored European hat tricks? 

Greg Draper at TNS must be a good bet? Did Killen or Fallon ever hit three?

Killen got a hat-trick for Oldham in the FA Cup, Vicelich scored three in an Eredivisie match for Roda.

And yes, definitely Draper, hell he scored 5 or 4 goals in a match for NS more than once.
Permalink Permalink
12 months ago
Draper averaged better than a goal a game some seasons, but strangely never got picked up by a better team in a better league.

Not sure if it was him saying no etc, but the man must have caught someones attention. 163 goals in 252 games and golder boot 2 years in a row (off wiki).
Permalink Permalink
12 months ago · edited 12 months ago · History
Rusty Dunks
Oliver Colloty with a hat trick for Peterhead, in a 5-0 drubbing of Bonnyrigg Rose. 

How many other kiwis, bar Rufer and Wood, have scored European hat tricks? 

Greg Draper at TNS must be a good bet? Did Killen or Fallon ever hit three?

Certainly has a favoured way of scoring. 3 very similar goals.

Permalink Permalink
11 months ago
Joins Will Gillingham (Cove Rangers) in the Scottish 3rd tier.

There it is. A 1-0 win against East Fife (Colloty played the last ten minutes) has clinched the League Two championship for Peterhead FC. They would have dropped behind their opponents with a game to go if they’d lost but instead Peter Pawlett’s 29th minute goal gave them victory, promotion, and a trophy all at once. Lovely stuff. 

Might even mean they rotate things a bit and give Colloty a start in the last game – he scored a hat-trick in one of his other recent starts. He has 5 goals in 564 minutes overall this term. Colloty signed a contract extension a few months ago so he’ll be with them in League One next season.
Permalink Permalink
10 months ago
Niche Cache end of season summary of some of the young Kiwis in the UK.

Perhaps of most note is that Marley Leuluai is still only playing U18s not U21s football at Burnley. He captained the NZ U17s 2 years ago when in the Man City youth system, but he might miss out on the NZ U20s this year??

Noah Dupont on the other hand as a 17 yr old is already playing U21s at West Brom as a CB, and has signed a pro deal. And from memory are quite a few CB candidates around the ALM clubs (incl Aussie) plus James Bulkeley stateside. Leuluai's best bet might be as a DM, if Greenacre sees him there.


Then there’s also Josh Redfearn who scored seven goals with one assist in 28 appearances for Welling United in the sixth tier, as well as a few more in cup competition (including the winner in the Kent Senior Cup final), but that wasn’t enough to keep his club from relegation. We could wrangle up a few more below that level but let’s not get carried away.

Plus of course there are a several dudes involved with academy systems, some of the bigger names being Marley Leuluai (Burnley), Noah Dupont (West Brom), Joe Wallis (West Brom), and Adam Watson (Stoke City). Wallis and Dupont have both played U21s this season (Wallis is 19yo, Dupont is 17yo) and Dupont recently signed his first pro deal. Watson spent the bulk of this season on loan with Witton Albion in non-league stuff.

Leuluai mostly plays U18s for Burnley, whose first team just got promoted back to the Premier League. He missed four months with injury at the start of the campaign but played regularly for them in the second half as they won the U18 Professional Development League northern conference (before losing in the PDL playoff semi-finals against Watford this week – although Marley didn’t play that match). Leuluai and Watson are coming to the end of their current contracts so they could seek other pastures if they wish.
Permalink Permalink
10 months ago
coochiee
Niche Cache end of season summary of some of the young Kiwis in the UK.

Perhaps of most note is that Marley Leuluai is still only playing U18s not U21s football at Burnley. He captained the NZ U17s 2 years ago when in the Man City youth system, but he might miss out on the NZ U20s this year??

Noah Dupont on the other hand as a 17 yr old is already playing U21s at West Brom as a CB, and has signed a pro deal. And from memory are quite a few CB candidates around the ALM clubs (incl Aussie) plus James Bulkeley stateside. Leuluai's best bet might be as a DM, if Greenacre sees him there.


Then there’s also Josh Redfearn who scored seven goals with one assist in 28 appearances for Welling United in the sixth tier, as well as a few more in cup competition (including the winner in the Kent Senior Cup final), but that wasn’t enough to keep his club from relegation. We could wrangle up a few more below that level but let’s not get carried away.

Plus of course there are a several dudes involved with academy systems, some of the bigger names being Marley Leuluai (Burnley), Noah Dupont (West Brom), Joe Wallis (West Brom), and Adam Watson (Stoke City). Wallis and Dupont have both played U21s this season (Wallis is 19yo, Dupont is 17yo) and Dupont recently signed his first pro deal. Watson spent the bulk of this season on loan with Witton Albion in non-league stuff.

Leuluai mostly plays U18s for Burnley, whose first team just got promoted back to the Premier League. He missed four months with injury at the start of the campaign but played regularly for them in the second half as they won the U18 Professional Development League northern conference (before losing in the PDL playoff semi-finals against Watford this week – although Marley didn’t play that match). Leuluai and Watson are coming to the end of their current contracts so they could seek other pastures if they wish.

Marley Leuluai will come off contract in 2026, and Jacob Borgnis (Reading) has been offered a new contract 


Permalink Permalink
9 months ago
Anyone have any info/update on Redfearn?
Permalink Permalink
9 months ago · edited 9 months ago · History
YoungHeartHM
HattyCW
Anyone have any info/update on Redfearn?

Going to Maidstone United from what I've been told. No announcement as yet though.

Meanwhile, Alex Lienard has signed scholarship terms with Sunderland.

Screenshot_2025-07-03-09-26-59-49_1c337646f29875672b5a61192b9010f9.jpg 572.23 KB
Maidstone almost got promoted to the NL last season, beaten by Boreham in the NLS play-off final.

Good to hear Redfearn's on track to stay in the UK, even if it's still the NLS. Hope he has another good goalscoring season and can attract interest from a higher club.
Permalink Permalink
9 months ago
Josh Redfearn has signed a professional deal with my team Maidstone United, playing in the National League South (sixth tier).

I've got a Maidstone season ticket so really looking forward to seeing him play and how well he progresses.

English based All Whites fan! Would love to watch an All White game one day.  

Permalink Permalink
9 months ago
UK_ALLWHITE
Josh Redfearn has signed a professional deal with my team Maidstone United, playing in the National League South (sixth tier).

I've got a Maidstone season ticket so really looking forward to seeing him play and how well he progresses.

I know the English system runs deep, but is the whole club a professional outfit? Or is it just a few players/members of staff who are full time pro's, with the rest being semi-pro?
Permalink Permalink
9 months ago · edited 9 months ago · History
Maidstone are still full time professional, training 3-4 times a week. If they don't go up next season they are rumours they may go back to part time though. 

Manager is George Elokobi (former Wolves player) and assistant is Craig Fagan (former Derby and Hull player).

We get home crowds of between 2,200-2800 each week

English based All Whites fan! Would love to watch an All White game one day.  

Permalink Permalink
9 months ago
UK_ALLWHITE
Maidstone are still full time professional, training 3-4 times a week. If they don't go up next season they are rumours they may go back to part time though. 

Manager is George Elokobi (former Wolves player) and assistant is Craig Fagan (former Derby and Hull player).

We get home crowds of between 2,200-2800 each week

Good to hear. Very good numbers for that level as well, which is probably a factor in making the professional status more sustainable.

Hope they go well. 
Permalink Permalink