Throughout the summer, the vast majority of National League clubs had players on trial with Carlisle United being no different, but now one of those is set to make his Baller League debut.
Baller League is entering its fourth season of existence, pressing ahead with the latest campaign despite moving to a new location and losing its partnership with Sky Sports.
Season four kicks off on Monday, with several new clubs making their debuts in the competition – with squads ranging from former Premier League & EFL players to Futsal internationals.
Former Carlisle trialist set for Baller League debut
As mentioned, Carlisle themselves were no stranger to a trialist or two throughout the summer, as Rob Elliot continued his preparations ahead of the 2026/27 campaign after arriving from Gateshead.
One player that the Blues had on trial but opted against signing was former Solihull Moors and Huddersfield Town forward Kyle Hudlin, almost a year after he became a free agent.
Hudlin featured for Carlisle during their pre-season friendly against Darlington but hasn’t played a minute of football since November 2025, with Vietnamese side Nam Dinh.
However, Baller League’s official Twitter account has confirmed that the 26-year-old is set to make his debut this evening, appearing as a wildcard for new side RTG FC – managed by content creator Danny Aarons and former Wealdstone boss Sam Cox.
It remains to be seen whether Hudlin will extend his stay in Baller League beyond the opening match, but his side will face VZN FC who feature the likes of Charlie Colkett (formerly of Chelsea) and Terell Thomas (formerly of Carlisle).
England’s tallest professional footballer hasn’t featured competitively in the UK, since his final loan appearance for Newport County back in May 2025.
What’s next for Hudlin?
Hudlin rose to fame with Solihull Moors, scoring several goals for the club including the opening strike during their play-off final defeat against Grimsby Town in June 2022.
Following the final, Hudlin departed in favour of a switch to Huddersfield Town, but spent the majority of that stint out on loan with the likes of Newport and AFC Wimbledon.
However, he is now back in England, suggesting a move to another non-League side could be on the table – especially with the EFL window being closed and squads already submitted.
The 26-year-old recently spoke to DAZN regarding his next steps and whether he’d return to the fifth tier, where he stated…
“Yeah, I’d definitely come back to the National League.
“It is where it all started and the National League is a great platform for players as you see with (Abdul) Abdulmalik recently… It’s a level that you can definitely go back to, to kick on again and reset your journey and everything else.”
Hudlin’s appearance at Baller League could be an indication that he is looking to try and prove himself to potential suitors – knowing non-League clubs can register players at any time between now and March.
Similarly, his comment about ‘resetting your journey’ implies that he is a player who is very much aware of how successful a move to the fifth tier can be, in propelling him back to the EFL once again.
