Under-18 attacker signs contract extension
Huddersfield Town Academy player Jake Charles has signed a contract extension with the Club until the summer of 2017, with the Club having the option of a further year.
The young attacker signed his first professional deal with Town earlier this year on the day of his 17th birthday, which was set to expire in 2014, having signed as a scholar in July 2012.
The Mirfield-based left footed player joined Town’s Academy at Under-11 level from Garforth Villa and has been capped by Wales at Under-17 level on five occasions.
As a first-year scholar, Jake made 29 appearances for Town’s U18 and U21 sides last year and scored four goals for Frankie Bunn’s and Tony Carss’ team as they reached the final of the Professional Development League.
Charles has already reached that goal tally this term for the U18s with just five games of the season played; he has also featured once from the bench for Town’s U21s this term.
“The Club has plenty of belief in its young players. It shows the Club’s confidence in Jake to offer him a new contract and he now has time to develop here as a young footballer,” Academy Manager Mark Lillis told htafc.com.
“Jake has set off this season really well, but he is still learning the game and he will continue to listen and develop. He is playing in the ‘number 10’ role at the moment, which he has adapted to really well and scored a few goals from, including a hat trick at Sheffield Wednesday.
“He is maturing as a person away from the football pitch and he has become a bit of a character, which is good. If and when he starts to step up to the U21s and First Team he will need to show his personality if he is to handle the environment.”
In recent weeks the likes of Duane Holmes, Daniel Carr and Tommy Smith have all made their First Team debuts and Lillis believes that it shows the current Academy players that there is a pathway, if they work hard and have the ability to perform.
“Seeing the lads make their debuts has given everyone a lot of belief within the Academy. Credit has to go the Manager and Steve Eyre; everyone is singing off the same hymn sheet. We know where we are going and the young players, like Jake, know that they can be a part of it, but they have got to keep working hard to develop to the required level.”
