Cambridge United youth coach Jimmy Unwin takes up under-18s role with rivals Peterborough United

Jimmy Unwin has opted to move across the Cambridgeshire divide and join Peterborough United as their lead under-18s coach.

Unwin has spearheaded Cambridge United’s under-18s since 2018 and enjoyed plenty of success in the role, the most notable of which was last season’s club-record run to the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup.

Reflecting on his decision to head up the A14 to London Road, Unwin said: “I felt it was the right time for a new challenge and when the opportunity arose at this football club, it was one that excited me. There were other opportunities elsewhere, but the chance to work within a category two academy was obviously a massive appeal and I am based in Chatteris, so it also worked for family reasons.

“There are a lot of good staff at this football club. I know Kieran Scarff (first-team assistant manager) well and he was a big part of me coming to the club.

“In the last couple of weeks, the under-18s have faced Manchester City and Burnley and that is exciting to be playing those kinds of fixtures.

“The group of players is a good one and I am looking forward to getting on to the training ground with them and imparting my ideas, but Hugh-Alban Jones (under-18s coach) has done a good job, you can see the rapport he has with them.

“I might have been working for Cambridge for the last five years, but I have a real connection to this football club. I have seen a lot of good players here that have come through the academy system like Matthew Etherington and Simon Davies and there are players now in the first team like Harrison Burrows and Ricky-Jade Jones who are real role models for the youngsters today. They get the opportunity to watch them train and eat with them in the canteen.”

Meanwhile, Cambridge’s academy manager Dom Knighton added: “As a football club there is a responsibility for staff to leave their positions in a stronger place than when they inherited it. Jimmy has without doubt done this, going above and beyond on countless occasions.

“He has been an integral part of creating some lifelong memories for our players who have progressed through our academy programme.”