Congratulations to former UFCA Scholars attacker Anton Dudik, who made his professional debut for Carlisle United against Cambridge United in Sky Bet League One at the weekend.
The Ukrainian attacker joined UFCA Scholars at the start of the 2022-23 season, where he instantly impressed and made a huge impact on the team.
The forward was an integral part of Isaiah Rankin's side who were crowned Champions of the National Football Youth League North East Championship, recording 17 victories from their 19 league matches.
Following the completion of his scholarship with UFCA, Dudik was on the radar of a number of professional clubs and was offered an extended trial period with Carlisle United's Youth Team.
Dudik was offered the opportunity to train with the first team on a number of occasions - before signing a professional contract with the Sky Bet League One outfit in January 2024.
The 19-year-old made his professional debut against Cambridge United on Saturday 17th February, where he came off the bench in the 64th minute.
Carlisle United manager Paul Simpson commented: "Anton has been with us for the past couple of months.
"He showed that he had enough to be involved in first team training so he's trained with us on numerous occasions, and I think there is something there that is worth looking at and keeping around for longer while we try to develop him.
"We're going to give him an opportunity to see what he can do. It's been really frustrating so far because he hasn't been able to play, but we're now in a position where we can play him as an overaged player in youth team games and he can also play in the Cumberland Cup games.
"Those games will give us a chance to have a proper look at him then see where he goes from there. We think he could develop into something that could be a good prospect."
Everybody at UFCA would like to congratulate Anton on his fantastic achievement, and wish him the best for the rest of the season.
Think you've got what it takes to follow Anton's footsteps? Please click here to apply for the UFCA Scholarship Programme for the 2024-25 season.