Grimsby give Canaries’ FA Youth Cup winner another Football League chance

One of Norwich City’s 2013 FA Youth Cup winners has been handed another Football League chance by Grimsby Town.

Reece Hall-Johnson made one senior appearance for City having signed professional terms after that Youth Cup success, coming on in the 65th minute of a 3-1 win over Crawley in the League Cup at Carrow Road in August 2014.

The attacking right-back was released in 2016 and played in the National League with Maidstone as well as in the Southern Premier Division for Bishop’s Stortford last season, earning a move to Braintree and scoring five goals in 25 games for the Essex club.

The 22-year-old has been on trial with Grimsby since September and has now signed a one-year deal, joining former City academy colleagues Sam Kelly and Ben Killip at the League Two club.

Former Norwich U21s boss Paul Wilkinson is assistant to manager Russell Slade at the League Two club, who also have Canaries youngster Diallang Jaiyesimi on loan.

“I know Wilko, I was at Norwich a few seasons back and he was my manager there and I worked really well underneath him, so he was a big part in me coming here,” Hall-Johnson told his new club’s website.

Talking about his history with Kelly, he added: “We grew up together, me and Sam, we were at Norwich City together and we travelled together as schoolboys and as kids so it’s nice to be back with him.”