The Football Association of Wales (FAW) can confirm that Craig Knight has stepped down from his role as Cymru MU19 national team manager to take up a new opportunity at Wrexham AFC.
Knight, who hails from Wrexham, has been with the FAW for over 10 years and has enjoyed great success working within the intermediate squads and coaching education programmes. He now returns to his hometown club, where his professional career first began.
As a manager, he led Cymru to back-to-back UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualifications in 2023 and 2024 – the first of which marked Cymru’s first appearance at a youth finals since 1981.
Over his decade with the FAW, Knight has managed more than 180 youth international matches, helping to provide a clear pathway for players progressing from intermediate teams through to the men’s national squads.
Reflecting on his time with the organisation, Knight said: “My 10 years with the FAW have been memorable in many ways. I have been lucky to work with a team of players, coaches, and staff who all dedicate their time and passion to nurturing the country’s most talented players, and I have learnt so much from every one of them.
“The role has taken me to many parts of the world, where I have been proud to lead teams and represent Cymru. Highlights, of course, were qualifying for the Euros in 2023 for the first time for a Welsh age-group squad in 41 years, and then qualifying again the following year. That fills me with pride.
“These are experiences I will never forget. Most of all, I have enjoyed every moment of my time working with Cymru’s talented players across all ages and watching how they have developed and made the most of the opportunities they have been given. I firmly believe that we have the talent in Cymru to succeed on any stage, and that the team at FAW is focused on helping our future talents fulfil their potential.”
FAW Chief Football Officer, Dr David Adams, added: “We are all grateful to Craig for his support in consistently supporting players through our player pathway. Our success in reaching the MU17 Euro finals back-to-back in 2023 and 2024 for the first time in our history undoubtedly enabled several current Men’s players to transition effectively.
“We also look forward to working with Craig as Wrexham look to build a player development system in north Wales which will significantly enhance the opportunities for talented North Wales based players to enter our regional and national programmes.”
