Hebburn Town complete signing of Newton Aycliffe midfielder as Moore eyes more new additions
Hebburn Town have completed their first signing of the summer.
Hebburn Town manager Daniel Moore has brought a successful end of his long-term pursuit of Newton Aycliffe midfielder Ethan Wood.
The Aycliffe skipper played a key role in helping Brian Atkinson’s men claimed the Ebac Northern League title in 2023 and helped his side secure a seventh place season in their first ever season in the Northern Premier League East Division. Wood went on to make over 50 appearances last season as Aycliffe narrowly missed out on a place in the step four play-offs - and he will now make the step into the Northern Premier League Premier Division after agreeing to become Moore’s first signing of the summer.
Speaking after watching the midfielder put pen-to-paper, Moore revealed just why he feels it was the right time for Wood to make the switch to South Tyneside.
He told The Gazette: “I’ve been after him for five years and we have spoken every summer during that time. He’s a player I’ve always enjoyed watching and even when he’s played against us I’ve enjoyed watching him. For me, he’s probably one of the best midfielders around in the North East at the moment and there were a few clubs above us that were sniffing around him. Any player I’ve spoke to has been blown away by the project we have here and Ethan wants to play every week, which is an opportunity we can give him.
“It’s a good fit for both of us. He’s been very loyal to Aycliffe in recent years and it feels like a good time to work together now. He’s a good age for our squad, he has played hundreds of games and the big thing for me was that last year he played over 50 games. As a manager working with a small squad, you want players that are available on a regular basis and he can do that and provide us with energy in midfield.”
The Hornets are continuing to work hard on a number of additions and hope to add further new faces to their squad over the coming days.
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