Callum West (Connah’s Quay) — Scout Report
Full scout report can be downloaded here: Callum West Scout Report
Preview:
As many regular readers will know, I’m generally drawn to the ‘lesser-known’ leagues. In this report I’m going to focus on a player in the Cymru Premier.
I encourage any scout/analyst to look outside the usual spotlight, find an interesting league to explore for players whose numbers might otherwise go unnoticed.
Callum West was one such name that caught my attention.
The 20-year-old midfielder joined Connah’s Quay Nomads in 2025 after spells within the academies of Burnley and Barnsley, alongside senior experience with Hyde United and Hebburn Town.
His first season in Wales produced ten goals and eight assists in 33 appearances, earning him a place in the Cymru Premier Team of the Season.
His second season in Wales has continued on the same trajectory. In his first ten appearances of the 2026/27 campaign, West has contributed six goals and six assists.
So, I just have to write about him. In this analysis we will look into the early season numbers, understand how he is utilised in Connah’s Quay’s tactical setup and of course do some in-game analysis to build a picture of the type of player Callum West is.
Biography
Name: Callum West
Age: 20 Years Old (28/10/2005)
Position: Right Wing/Attacking Midfield
Club: Connah’s Quay Nomads
Nationality: English
Height: 181 cm
Preferred Foot: Left
Data Analysis
The first thing that stands out in West’s 2026/27 profile is just how strongly his game is geared towards chance creation.
So far this season, he is averaging 0.83 key passes per 90, placing him in the 96th percentile among the positional comparison group. His 0.33 expected assists per 90 is even more striking, alongside his 0.56 actual assists per 90.
This suggests his attacking influence is not limited to simply finishing moves. West is regularly involved in creating opportunities for teammates, and the xA figure indicates that the quality of chances generated is particularly notable.
His 1.30 shot assists per 90 also ranks highly, reinforcing the idea that he is a player who is consistently involved in the final action before a shot. Meanwhile, he averages 3.61 passes into the penalty area per 90, which tells us that he is capable of playing the ball into dangerous areas frequently.
He averages 5.10 progressive passes per 90, around the 50th percentile, while progressive runs sit at the 74th percentile. This suggests that he is capable of carrying or progressing possession over long distances when asked.
The data mostly suggests West is higher up the pitch when he receives the ball rather than always being the one to carry the team forward himself. He is most likely tasked with finding dangerous positions, creating chances and producing the final pass.
This remains an early sample, but the consistency across these creative metrics makes Callum West an intriguing profile to follow.
Tactical Role at Connah’s Quay
West operates primarily as a right-sided attacking midfielder/wide creator for Connah’s Quay, with the flexibility to play as a conventional right winger or move into the right half-space.
According to Wyscout data, Connah’s Quay have used a range of shapes, most frequently a 3–4–2–1, followed by 3–5–2 and 4–4–2 so far this season. Rather than being tied to the touchline, West appears suited to the attacking midfield role in a back three system, where he can receive between the lines and drift towards the right flank.
His heatmap reinforces this. We can see the strongest concentration is on the right side of the attacking half, particularly the right channel and wide-right area, with a secondary presence in and around the central attacking zone. This suggests he’s a player who starts from the right but is encouraged to move inside and influence attacks rather than remaining as a fixed winger.
Physical Profile
At 181cm tall, West has an athletic build that suits his role as a mobile wide attacker. He has enough strength to compete effectively in duels and maintain his balance when challenged.
His standout physical quality is his acceleration. The Connah’s Quay man shows an excellent first few steps from a standing start, allowing him to separate from opponents quickly when receiving in space or attacking the outside. His pace is also evident over longer distances, giving him the capacity to carry the ball into space ahead of him.
He is also fairly agile. He displays the ability to change direction well and can adjust his body quickly in tight spaces, which complements his tendency to operate in the half space. His combination of acceleration, agility and close control makes him difficult to contain when he can face defenders and attack them directly.
Attacking Phase
West’s attacking game typically sees him starting from a wide right position before moving inside to influence the game in more dangerous areas. From the right, he regularly looks to receive before using his acceleration to attack the full back in 1v1 situations as we can see above. He likes to cut inside onto his favoured left foot.
There’s a recognisable pattern to his shooting. When starting from the right, West will often carry inside before opening his body and looking for a left footed curling effort towards the far post. His ability to create this shooting angle himself is a positive, although his goal threat is not limited to these situations.
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He is active in and around the penalty area and has shown a willingness to continue his movement after an initial action, allowing him to benefit from rebounds and second balls. A couple of his goals this season have come from close range finishes of this nature.
From wide areas, he is capable of delivering early and with either foot when he recognises an opportunity to catch the opposition before they can set themselves. Here, we can see him carry the ball forward and deliver an early cross to his teammate, catching opponents off guard.
His crossing is a slightly less consistent part of his game. There are occasions when he delivers with excellent quality, but other crosses can become more speculative, particularly when he is delivering without having fully established the situation in the box.
Improving the accuracy and selection of these deliveries would be beneficial, especially when we consider how often he finds himself in positions from which he can create.
His ability to identify space and subsequent movement into that space is a particularly impressive aspect to his game. West consistently looks to find pockets between the opposition’s midfield and defensive lines, using his speed to arrive into space rather than simply occupying it. He is comfortable receiving on the half-turn and can quickly turn away from pressure to attack the next space.
Here, we can see him make a run into the pocket of space available and comfortably receives his teammate’s pass. The 20-year-old then shrugs off his man and creates enough separation to put in a cross. On this occasion it comes to nothing but his movement creates a goal scoring opportunity seemingly out of nothing.
Moreover, when receiving under pressure he shows enough awareness to avoid forcing the action. Stronger opponents can make it more difficult for him to retain the ball due to his relatively modest physical profile, but he shows intelligence in these situations and can use quick combinations to escape. Here, he understands that he cannot just turn away from the opponent so he receives and quickly fires the pass back. Only then does he move free of the defender, into space available.
The sequence continues with him receiving in the space he just create for himself and playing an excellent pass through to his teammate. He has a good eye for the forward pass and is capable of playing line breaking passes through defensive structures as well as balls over the top for runners.
His ability to play passes over the top is useful when the opposition holds a higher defensive line or is in transition, as he can release runners into the space behind rather than needing to carry the ball there himself.
Overall, West’s attacking value comes from his ability to combine wide starting positions with intelligent movement and progressive actions. He can beat his man in 1v1s, create separation, play through or over a defensive line and provide a goal threat himself. His versatility makes him more than a conventional wide attacking player and gives Connah’s Quay a player capable of altering his position and function according to the situation.
Defensive Phase
West shows a willingness to defend for the team and engages with the defensive phase rather than switching off once possession is lost. His physicality is useful when defending 1v1, especially when he can get close enough to engage the opponent early and use his body to disrupt their progress.
However, there are occasions when West sets his body incorrectly, giving the attacker an easier route around him than necessary. This is particularly relevant when defending from the side or attempting to delay an opponent, where a better angle could force play into a less favourable area.
In the example above we can see West in a 1v1 with an opponent. Initially he does well to force him down the line but the opposition player uses his physical strength to carry the ball beyond West and into a crossing position.
When pressing from the front, West reads situations reasonably well and has the pace to close opponents down quickly. His acceleration can make him an effective presser. He often puts opponents under significant pressure looking to force errors or turnovers high up the pitch.
Occasionally, his body shape can again become suboptimal. Rather than always arriving in a position that takes away the opponent’s preferred passing option, he can approach too directly and allow himself to be bypassed.
When this happens, West can become somewhat clumsy in attempting to recover the situation. He will sometimes commit a foul to stop an opponent who has escaped his initial pressure, particularly when his positioning or body orientation has left him chasing the play.
Overall though, his defensive mentality is positive. He works for the team, generally maintains good positioning and is willing to make recovery runs when possession is lost. His speed is particularly valuable in these situations, allowing him to recover ground quickly and get back into the defensive structure.
Transitions
In the attacking transition, West’s speed becomes particularly valuable. He’s quick to recognise when possession has been regained and immediately looks to use his acceleration to get himself into the attacking third.
Here, he is put through by his teammate and carries the ball to the opposition penalty area. He recognises that his teammate is in a better position to score and has the awareness to slide a pass across rather than forcing the action himself. This is representative of a player whose first instinct in transition is positive, but who can still identify the better option once he has attracted defenders.
Furthermore, in the defensive transition West reacts positively to turnovers and looks to stay close to his direct opponent rather than simply retreating towards his own goal. He tracks runners well and appears to scan regularly, checking his shoulder to maintain awareness of both the opponent and the developing play. This scanning allows him to anticipate where the ball may go rather than reacting only once the pass has been played.
Here, we can see him recognise the developing threat, get himself in front of his opponent around the edge of his own box and recover possession. This action demonstrates both his recovery speed and his awareness of where the opponent is attempting to move. His willingness to continually check his shoulder is particularly useful in transition, allowing him to adjust his position early to give him a better chance of recovering possession.
Conclusion
Overall, Callum West is a versatile attacking player with the athletic and technical qualities to operate in a more fluid role. He has the versatility to begin wide, move into the half-space or operate between the lines, giving him a degree of positional freedom that suits the varied structures Connah’s Quay have used this season.
He displays an interesting balance between directness and creativity. He can attack a full back in 1v1 situations and cut inside onto his left foot to shoot, but he also possesses the vision to recognise forward passes, play through defensive lines and find runners beyond the back line.
Whilst there are areas that need development, West is one to watch. His first ten games have yielded some impressive performances, and he could be in for a standout season if he can continue his excellent form.
