Tylon Smith, the young soccer star who made headlines during the recent CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), is donning the colours of EFL Championship side Queens Park Rangers (QPR).
Last Wednesday (23 July) Stellenbosch FC confirmed the completion of Smith’s permanent transfer to the West London club. Since the announcement, Smith has already jetted off to London and is settling in as part of the Championship club’s development squad.
His transfer to the United Kingdom represents a landmark moment for Stellenbosch FC and its development structures, as the 20-year-old becomes the first player to progress through the club’s under-14, under-16, under-18 and reserve teams before securing a move abroad.
“This is a very proud moment for everyone at the club, the town, and his family,” Stellenbosch FC CEO Rob Benadie said. “We’ve watched Tylon grow from a young boy in Jamestown into a player ready to take on the world stage. We have every confidence that he’ll thrive at QPR.”
With Smith signing with the English club, Benadie highlighted the local PSL club’s drive to unearth, cultivate and nurture local footballing flair to achieve greater heights. “At Stellenbosch FC, we’ve always believed in creating real opportunities for young talent, and Tylon’s journey is proof that the pathways we are building are working,” he pointed out.
“His move is a reward for years of hard work, not just from him, but from everyone involved in his development, and we hope it inspires the next generation to dream even bigger.”
The alumnus of Stellenzicht Secondary School’s rise to football fame is nothing short of a fairytale. The talented defender, who signed his first professional contract with the Maroons last October, made waves across footballing circles during the under-20 Afcon competition in Egypt in May.
Apart from being part of the South African team that claimed a 1-0 victory over Morocco in the final, he also received the coveted Player of the Tournament award (“No stopping young Tylon”, Eikestadnuus, 29 May).
The Stellies local was instrumental in the team’s journey to the final, especially in the team’s semi-final clash against their Nigerian counterparts.
The youngster with the characteristic mop of black and blond curls scored Amajita’s only goal in the encounter, securing the team’s spot in the final and instantly getting those in soccer circles talking about his undeniable talent. He was also nominated for the DStv Diski Challenge Player of the Season award.
QPR shared the news of it acquiring the services of the South African star on its website and social media channels, noting Smith’s “incredible rise over the last 12 months”.
The club’s CEO Christian Nourry said: “We are happy to beat significant competition to land the services of Tylon today. His raw attributes give him every opportunity to become a successful central defender and we are excited that the player feels, as we do, that we are best placed to develop and extract that potential from him. We will take it step by step.”
Smith had this to say: “I’m very happy to be here. I’m really proud and grateful for the opportunity QPR has given me to showcase my talent. QPR is well-known for developing young players. The style of play here is similar to how we play in South Africa and it’s a style that I really like . . . My main focus now is QPR. I’m going to give my all for this club and hopefully, together, we can be successful.”
