Todd Wins Manager’s Award At Sandhurst Town
[Written by Stephen Wright]
Bermudian footballer Aunde Russell Todd has been recognised for his impressive displays for non-league side Sandhurst Town FC this season, receiving the Manager’s Player of the Year award.
Todd helped Town win the Combined Counties League Division One title, with the team having to play a staggering seven matches in ten days last month because of postponed games due to wet weather earlier in the campaign.
Despite the gruelling fixture schedule, the Berkshire side managed to win five and draw one of those matches.
Todd switched from defensive midfield to centre-half midway through the season and said his versatility did not go unnoticed by his manager Jordan Ive.
“Halfway through the season, the manager asked me to play in an unfamiliar position,” Todd told Bernews. “It was a new challenge for me, but it gave me a chance to learn a new role.
“The manager said one of the reasons he gave me the award was because I performed more than one position for him and helped the team.
“Adjusting to senior football was tough, but I learned to become more aggressive and physical.”
Todd said he hopes to climb the English football pyramid and will put himself in the “shop window” this summer.
“Over the summer, I will play showcase games and have trials at non-league teams- hopefully step three, four or five teams. We’ll have to see what happens.”
The 18-year-old spent three weeks training with the Milton Keynes Dons academy last season after being recommended to the Sky Bet League One side by Bermudian coach Peter Rickards, the club’s Sports and Education Trust Programme under-11 coach.
Todd, who played for BAA’s youth teams, moved to England five years ago to pursue his football ambitions, having trials at Premier League side Chelsea and Championship team Luton Town.
He spent three seasons at the Bracknell Town academy before joining Sandhurst, a feeder club for the Southern League Premier Division South outfit, at the start of the season.
