Peterborough Sports have completed the signing of former Barnet striker Shaquile Coulthirst, in a move that sees the 30-year-old return to familiar territory.
The ex-Spurs academy product links up with the Southern League club after a nomadic career across the Football League and non-league pyramid, which also included a spell with Sports’ city rivals, United.
Coulthirst Returns to Peterborough… But This Time in Blue and Black
Coulthirst will be a familiar name to Posh fans, having spent 18 months at London Road after joining from Tottenham Hotspur in January 2016. Touted at the time as a potential long-term replacement for Conor Washington, he made 43 appearances for the club, scoring seven times—including a memorable goal against Premier League West Bromwich Albion in the FA Cup.
His most productive spell in a Posh shirt came during the 2016–17 campaign, which also included a goal in a convincing 3–0 League One win over Northampton Town.
Following his departure in 2017, Coulthirst continued to ply his trade across the lower divisions, with stints at Barnet, Leyton Orient, Torquay United, Southend United, Wigan Athletic, York City, Mansfield Town, Boreham Wood, Braintree Town, and Ebbsfleet United. His most recent club was Maidstone United in the National League South, where he made 35 appearances—30 of which came from the bench—during the 2024–25 season.
Now, he becomes the sixth new arrival at Peterborough Sports this summer as they gear up for a busy pre-season, which includes high-profile friendlies against Doncaster Rovers and city neighbours Peterborough United at PIMS Park.
The move represents something of a homecoming for Coulthirst, whose time at London Road remains one of the more high-profile spells of his career. His goal against Posh while playing for Barnet in the EFL Cup back in 2017 also remains fresh in the memory for fans on both sides of the city.
Peterborough Sports, who continue to punch above their weight in the non-league pyramid, will hope Coulthirst’s experience at higher levels gives them added firepower heading into the new season.
Writer’s View
Shaquile Coulthirst’s arrival at Peterborough Sports is an eye-catching bit of business. While he never quite lived up to the early hype at Tottenham or fulfilled his full potential at Posh, there’s no doubt he brings a wealth of Football League know-how to the Southern League side. His recent spell at Maidstone showed he’s still willing to graft, even if his minutes have been limited.
For Sports, the addition of a striker with pedigree and local history adds spice to a squad already looking competitive. And with Posh themselves due at PIMS Park in pre-season, it won’t take long for Coulthirst to be reunited with old friends—and old foes.
