Cecil Nyoni, one for the future of Zimbabwean football

Cecil "Cess" Nyoni, an impressive young Zimbabwean football star causing waves in UK, has graduated from Sheffield Wednesday academy to play in the first team - having joined the club when he was a young school boy.

Nyoni now 18, has made his first team debut and has declared his availability to play for Zimbabwe, he currently wear jersey number 26 for Sheffield Wednesday first team.

The ball is now in Norman Mapeza, the Zimbabwean coach, to give this impressive youngster a chance to prove that he can deliver the goods for the success starved Zimbabwe Warriors.

He recently graduated to first team professional status after impressing team managers. He has so far been offered a contract and says he now look forward to greater challenges of English football.

Sheffield Wednesday manager Sean McAuley said: "We have made contract offers to Cecil. Throughout the two years here has shown good promise and has excelled in games were he's kept company that outweigh the experience he has had."

McAuley added: "It's an individual programme, not results orientated and we're here to support the success of the club at first team level."

Legendary Highlanders player and former Zimbabwe national team striker Madinda Ndlovu had a stint with Sheffield Wednesdays in the 1980s. Madinda who is the elder brother to England's longest serving African player Peter Ndlovu, did not stay long at Sheffield Wednesday for undisclosed reasons.

Sheffield Wednesday Club, popularly known as The Owls announced, said they were grateful to have offered Nyoni a chance to play at a higher level.

Nyoni joined the Owls as a schoolboy after moving to England from Zimbabwe eight years ago. He started the game on the right side of a five-man midfield before switching to the centre of the park.

For many of the Wednesday players on view, this was an opportunity to fight for a future at the club or attract potential buyers.

Nyoni made a decent impression in midfield, closing down his opponents and spreading the ball wherever possible. Trevor Mutero and Farai Hallam are also Zimbabwean teenagers playing in England.

Cecil Nyoni snippet.

Cecil Nyoni (born 1 September 1992 in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe) is an Zimbabwean footballer playing as a defender or midfielder for Sheffield Wednesday in Football League One.

Nyoni was born in Bulawayo but he grew up in Gwanda, and he moved to England in 2003 aged 11. Nyoni joined Wednesday just before his 16th birthday after being spotted playing for local side Middlewood Rangers. He previously played for Brinsdown, and also had the choice to join Sheffield rivals Sheffield United. On 8 January 2011, he was sent out on work experience to Conference North side Boston United after an injury crisis at York Street. He made his debut for the Pilgrims in a 1–0 victory over Gloucester City. He made his professional debut on 11 August 2011, in the Football League Cup 0–0 draw with Blackpool at Hillsborough, which the Owls eventually won on penalties.