24/07/2025
๐ฟ๐ฆโ๏ธ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ๐๐๐ผ๐๐ป ๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป!
๐ฆ๐๐ฒ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐๐'๐ ๐ง๐๐น๐ผ๐ป ๐ฆ๐บ๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฆ๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ค๐ฃ๐ฅ! ๐๏ธ๐ต
History has been made! Stellenbosch FC academy graduate and local hero Tylon Smith has completed a permanent move to English Championship side Queens Park Rangers (QPR).
The 20-year-old defender, who hails from Jamestown, becomes the first player to progress through all of Stelliesโ youth ranks โ U14, U16, U18, reserves โ before sealing a move abroad.
๐ฃ๏ธ "Weโve watched Tylon grow from a young boy into a player ready to take on the world stage," said CEO Rob Benadie.
"His move is a reward for years of hard work and proof that the pathways weโre building are working."
Smithโs meteoric rise has been nothing short of incredible:
๐ Helped South Africa win the CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in May
๐ฅ Named Player of the Tournament and selected in the Team of the Tournament
๐ฅ DStv Diski Challenge Player of the Season nominee
โญ Scored the winning goal vs Nigeria in the AFCON semi-final
๐ผ Signed his first pro deal in October 2024, and now moves to QPR less than a year later!
At QPR, Smith will initially link up with the clubโs Development Squad, but there is strong belief in his potential.
![Result:Saturday, 12 July NEC Nijmegen ๐ณ๐ฑ 1-0 Kaizer Chiefs ๐ฟ๐ฆโฝ| [Koki 73']](https://img4.medioq.com/112/132/717108671121326.jpg)
