NU
London – Kiban Rai has signed for National League Aldershot Town after being released by Newport County AFC.
The 20-year-old is the first player of Nepali descent to sign a professional contract with an English Football League (EFL) club.
The attacking midfielder joined Merthyr Town on loan in January last year and though injury cut the spell short, helped them to the Southern League Premier South title.
On signing Kiban, Tommy Widdrington, said: “Kiban is first and foremost a really exciting prospect.”
“Having played in The EFL as a teenager tells you the quality is in there and having met and chatted with him, I feel we can provide him with the kind of platform his skill set requires.”
“I understand there will be conjecture connecting Kiban with the Aldershot connections with the Nepalese community but, as I explained to Kiban himself, he is here on merit and we are looking forward to working with him because of his football ability.”
Head of Recruitment Jamie Hedges added: “We’re delighted to get Kiban sorted. He’s a very talented player who’s dipped his toe into the EFL at a young age and been in and around it for 2/3 years.”
“We both now feel that we could be the right environment to push his career on. He’s an energetic, exciting footballer who wants to be positive and take players on and hopefully score and assist goals!”
Kiban was born in Wales in 2005. His father is an ex-Gurkha soldier. Nepali community in Aldershot and elsewhere have welcomed the news.
Photo credit: https://www.theshots.co.uk/new-signing-kiban-rai/
