Cameron Salkeld

Cameron John Salkeld (born 6 December 1998) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for club Darlington.

He began his football career as a youngster with Carlisle United, and made his senior debut in 2016 in the EFL Trophy. After loan spells with Whitby Town and Annan Athletic, he spent the 2018–19 season with Gateshead before joining Scottish Championship club Greenock Morton. Two years later he signed for divisional rivals Ayr United, but an ACL injury was to keep him out of football for more than a year. He made a comeback with Clyde, and returned to English football with Darlington in 2023.

Playing career
Salkeld was on the books of Newcastle United as a youngster, but was released before reaching scholarship age. He trained with Carlisle United's youth team and was one of five offered a scholarship with that club in February 2015. Interviewed ahead of the 2016–17 season, he said his strengths were pace, dribbling and creating chances, and most wanted to improve his heading and positional sense.

Salkeld made his first-team debut for Carlisle United under Keith Curle on 4 October 2016, coming on as a 78th-minute substitute for Charlie Wyke in a 2–0 victory over Blackburn Rovers U23 in an EFL Trophy match at Brunton Park, and won a penalty after being fouled by Wes Brown. On 9 November, he scored his first senior goal in a 4–2 win over Fleetwood Town, also in the EFL Trophy. He signed a development contract in May 2017 after completing his scholarship.

On 23 November 2017, he joined Northern Premier League Premier Division club Whitby Town on a one-month loan as a replacement for the injured John Campbell. The loan was extended for a second month, after which he went on loan to Scottish League Two club Annan Athletic until the end of the season.

Salkeld was released by Carlisle at the end of the 2017–18 season, and joined Gateshead on a one-year contract in the summer of 2018. Like the majority of Gateshead's players and staff, Salkeld did not have his contract renewed at the end of the season due to financial issues.

On 6 June 2019, Salkeld signed for Scottish Championship club Greenock Morton on a one-year contract. He spent two seasons with the club, helping them avoid relegation in 2021, before joining another Championship club, Ayr United, under the management of David Hopkin who had signed him for Morton. He suffered an ACL injury in the middle of the 2021–22 season that was to keep him out for more than a year.

Salkeld signed for Scottish League One club Clyde on 21 January 2023 until the end of the season.

Salkeld returned to English football with National League North club Darlington for the 2023–24 season. He was a regular in the matchday squad, mainly as a starter, scored nine goals, of which seven came in the last few weeks of the season to help Darlington out of the relegation places, and won the supporters' Player of the Season award.

Style of play
Salkeld's 2017 Carlisle United profile describes him as a "powerful, forward thinking" midfielder.