STANLEY'S HILLS SEEKS TO CLIMB

Young guns are giving it best shot

- Dave Flett

ON-LOAN teenager Brad Hills has enjoyed a breakthrough year – and believes he and his fellow ‘fresh’ fledglings at Accrington Stanley can push for glory in 2024.

Stanley included ten Under-23 players in their starting XI during last weekend’s 2-1 triumph against Walsall – the same number that featured in an unfortunate defeat by the same scoreline after conceding a stoppage-time winner at in-form Harrogate on Boxing Day.

Defender Hills, 19, has kicked off more games than any other squad member this term and earned rave reviews following his season-long switch from Norwich.

Injuries to senior players have necessitated an even greater reliance on youth in recent weeks, but John Coleman’s men remain in top-seven contention heading into the new year.

“When you have young players like myself, we’re fresh and we’re ready,” Hills told The FLP. “We want to make a statement to people.

“We want to play as many games as we can and, when they come thick and fast, I think it’s good to have young, fresh legs because we should be able to cope with that.”