Mousehole AFC’s away trip to Swindon Supermarine last weekend came with an unexpected bonus: a brush with the EFL—and a reunion with one of our own.

Staying in the same hotel as the team were the players and staff of Tranmere Rovers, who were in town for their League Two clash with Swindon Town the next day. It was a great chance for our players and staff to rub shoulders with professionals—but even more special was bumping into a familiar face: Kieran Stephens.

Now Lead Analyst at Tranmere, Kieran’s football journey started with Mousehole AFC. While still a student at Redruth School, he reached out to the club offering to help with performance analysis. Manager Jake Ash gave him the chance—and he never looked back.

Kieran quickly proved his value, filming and analysing matches, working with coaching staff to develop game plans, and using data to support player development and team selection. Even after moving away to university, he continued his work remotely before landing opportunities at Ipswich Town, Everton, and eventually Tranmere Rovers, where he now holds a full-time role.

“Mousehole and Jake really gave me the building blocks to understand the role of an analyst in football,” Kieran told us. “Working with Mousehole massively shaped the way I work and my attitude towards analysis in sport. I still use many of the techniques I learned there to this day.”

His role at Tranmere includes filming and analysing training and matches, delivering tactical reports, preparing pre-match game plans, and providing post-match breakdowns for both individuals and the team as a whole.

Seeing Kieran in his element—among seasoned professionals, thriving in a role he’s carved out for himself—was a proud reminder of the pathways Mousehole is helping to create, both on and off the pitch.

From West Cornwall to the Football League, Kieran Stephens is proof that big dreams can start in small places.