Harborough sign 6ft 9in striker Hudlin before FA Cup tie

What the report says

Non-league Harborough Town have added striker Kyle Hudlin ahead of their FA Cup first-round match away to League One side Leyton Orient. BBC Sport reports that the 26-year-old, who stands 6ft 9in, is one of the tallest professional footballers in the game and is eligible to feature in Saturday’s tie.

Hudlin arrives with experience across several clubs, including Solihull Moors, Huddersfield Town and Newport County, and most recently played in Vietnam’s top flight for Nam Dinh. According to Harborough boss Mitch Austin, the signing is intended to strengthen the team’s attacking options. Austin also said he had tracked Hudlin’s career for some time and was keen to bring him in after learning he was available as a free agent.

The article notes that Hudlin made his name at Solihull, where he scored 17 goals in 69 appearances and netted the opening goal in the 2022 National League play-off final. He later joined Huddersfield and spent loan periods at AFC Wimbledon, Burton Albion and Newport before leaving in July 2025. For Harborough, the move adds another player with Football League experience to a squad that has recently recruited several former EFL names.

The signing matters because Harborough are preparing for one of the biggest matches in their recent history, having reached the FA Cup second round last season before losing to Reading.