"Without any shadow of a doubt" - Wolves youngster tipped for big things by Telford boss after loan success

Wolves academy goalkeeper Josh Gracey has been tipped for a career in the football league by AFC Telford United boss Kevin Wilkin following his successful loan spell in Shropshire.

The Bucks borrowed the 18-year-old goalkeeper earlier in the season when they were dealing with a goalkeeping crisis following first-choice keeper Brandon Hall’s season-ending injury, and despite his youthfulness the Northern Irishman brought a calming figure to Telford’s backline as they narrowly missed out on the National League North play-offs.

Gracey is highly thought of at Wolves and could be involved in the first team picture following the end of Telford’s season, something Wilkin believes he thoroughly deserves.

“Josh was only 17 when we took him on, but I saw him play once for Wolves’ under 21s last season and he had the most outstanding game I’ve seen from a young goalkeeper for quite some time,” Wilkin said. “As soon as we knew he was potentially going to become available after Brandon’s unfortunate injury we wanted to try and get him to the club, and he’s gone in there as a young man and done extremely well.

“As soon as he came in he had a confidence about him that he exuded, and it really was noticeable. He speaks well within the group, he’s a confident lad alongside being a very polite and well-mannered lad, and he wants to do really well in his career.

“Hopefully him playing for us and working within our group has benefited him, and without any shadow of a doubt he’s going to have a football league career subject to him staying fit and well.”

Gracey’s development has been helped by the tutelage of Brandon Hall, a school teacher and goalkeeping coach at Ellesmere College.

The 33-year-old has been involved in training sessions alongside Gracey following his return from a serious wrist and rib injury, and Wilkin highlighted his professionalism when handling the injury and subsequent absence from the squad.

“Brandon’s experienced enough now to understand how to conduct himself in these situations,” he said. “Josh has been in the squad and been ultra-consistent, and goalkeeper is not an area that I wanted to start tinkering with.

“If people aren’t up to their work then clearly that’s something different but Josh has been a big part of our success through the course of the season and you only have to look at the games he’s been away on international duty, with the greatest respect to the lads that went in, they weren’t at the level that Josh is at and we were found out a little bit on those occasions.”