From Academy Prospect to Cymru Premier Starter: Harrison Matthews’ Cardiff Met Journey

Just over two years ago, Harrison Matthews arrived at Cardiff Met as an academy prospect. Today, he is a Cardiff Met student, a UEFA Youth League goalscorer and, following another significant step in his development, a Cymru Premier starter.

The 19-year-old made his first league start for Cardiff Met FC in September’s 1-0 victory over Haverfordwest County at Cyncoed, another milestone in a journey that has seen Matthews progress through the club’s academy and development pathway into the senior game.

It has been a rapid rise for the young forward, but one built on consistent progression rather than one breakthrough moment.

Matthews joined Cardiff Met in 2024 after previously progressing through the Cardiff City Academy and quickly established himself within the Archers’ development set-up. His performances for Cardiff Met’s U19s became increasingly difficult to ignore, with goals and assists accompanying a growing influence on a side that would go on to make club history.

During the 2025/26 season, Matthews helped the Young Archers win the National Academi Development League South title before playing his part in the dramatic play-off victory over Connah’s Quay Nomads that secured Cardiff Met’s first-ever place in the UEFA Youth League.

Matthews finished that campaign as the U19s’ leading contributor for both goals and assists, while opportunities at senior level were beginning to arrive too.

One of the biggest came in the JD Welsh Cup against Taffs Well in October 2025. Introduced from the bench, Matthews won and converted a penalty to score his first senior goal for the Archers as Cardiff Met recorded a 5-1 victory at Cyncoed.

The step from academy football into the first-team environment continued during the months that followed, with Matthews gaining Cymru Premier experience while remaining a key member of the U19 squad.

Jack Lyons, Academy & Youth Operations Manager, said

Since joining the academy, Harrison has grown and developed his game through outstanding commitment and hard work. We talk about, developing good players, developing good people. Harrison epitomises this, and fully deserves the first team accolades, including his recent first Cymru Premier start. First of many, keep going, H

Then came Europe.

Cardiff Met’s historic UEFA Youth League debut against FC UNA Strassen in September provided another stage on which Matthews could make his mark. With the Young Archers already leading at Cyncoed, the forward drove into the penalty area, won a penalty and converted it himself to double the advantage.

Cardiff Met eventually secured an emphatic 4-0 first-leg victory, with Matthews becoming one of the first players in the club’s history to score in UEFA Youth League competition.

Less than two weeks later came another first.

Named in the starting XI against Haverfordwest County on 29 September, Matthews made his first Cymru Premier start in a senior Cardiff Met side looking for an important victory at Cyncoed.

He came close to marking the occasion with a goal too, meeting a Jack Veale delivery and forcing a save from the Haverfordwest goalkeeper during the first half. The Archers eventually secured all three points through Sam Snaith’s goal, completing a memorable night for both the team and their young forward.

For Matthews, the significance goes beyond a single appearance, his journey represents the pathway Cardiff Met is continuing to build between academy football, student life and senior performance. A player who arrived as an academy signing is now studying at the University while competing for opportunities at the highest level of domestic football in Wales.

Academy player. Senior goalscorer. European goalscorer. Cardiff Met student. Cymru Premier starter.

Each milestone has followed the last, but at 19, there remains plenty more of Harrison Matthews’ Cardiff Met story still to be written.