Tom Clarke has told htafc.com that he wants to make a first-team spot his own now he has put pen to paper on a new contract.

The versatile 21-year old has been a regular feature among the substitutes during Lee Clark's tenure as Huddersfield Town manager and has earned a new deal lasting until the summer of 2011.

"It's fair to say that halfway through the current season I didn't really know where my future was. I had to go out on loan because I wasn't getting the games here under the previous management staff," Tom admitted to the Club's official website.

"I am an ambitious lad and I want to play, but I have spoken to Lee about it and I just have to try and keep hold of the shirt when my opportunity comes along. I want to stay here, secure a first-team place and kick-on from there really.

"I will always give one hundred percent, just as I have done in the past. I'm keeping my head down and working hard in training and I have been on the bench for every one of the Gaffer's games in charge here. Hopefully I can stay in his thoughts."

The former England under-19 international cited his work on the training ground with Town's new-look coaching staff as a pivotal factor in his decision to stay at the Club.

"The coaches we have brought in here have achieved a lot and the whole training ground is alive and buzzing every day since they arrived. I want to do well for the manager and put what I am learning into the matches.

"I have worked a lot on the defensive side with 'Faz' and he has really helped me. A lot of the centre-halves we have here are older than me and I can learn a lot from them as well; I am still a young lad and I just want to improve my game.

"When you look around the Club now, each and every person is striving to get to a higher level and that is one of the main reasons that I wanted to stay. I want to get as high as possible and I want it to be with Huddersfield.

"The Club as it is now is looking forward and rapidly moving in that direction and I just want to be a part of it."