Academy graduate moves into David Wagner's First Team squad
- Ryan Schofield movies into HTAFC’s First Team squad
- 17 year-old speaks to #HTTV
- Comments from Head Coach David Wagner
Huddersfield Town Academy graduate Ryan Schofield has joined David Wagner’s First Team squad ahead of the Club’s 2017/18 Premier League campaign.
The 17 year-old England Under-20 international has been handed the number 31 shirt after making the step-up into the First Team and will continue to work closely with Town’s New Head of Goalkeeping Paul Clements.
After impressing for the Leigh Bromby’s Under-18s side and in England’s youth ranks last season, Ryan signed his first professional contract with the Club that will run until the summer of 2019.
Huddersfield Town Head Coach David Wagner commented:
“Everyone knows that Ryan is a talented young goalkeeper; over the last season he impressed in both of our youth teams and for England.
“We could see him developing and that’s why we believe it is the right time for him to be in and around the First Team squad.
“Ryan has worked very closely with Clem (Paul Clements) over the last couple of years and knows him well, so that will suit him.
“He will now move into the First Team changing room and train with us every day whilst also continuing to play games for our Academy sides; this will help him develop.
“We always look at players in our Academy and want to help them progress and improve; this is the perfect time for Ryan to do that.
“I’m looking forward to working with him and helping him to get used to senior football during the next weeks and months.”
Here what Ryan had to say on moving into David Wagner's First Team courtesy of HTTV!
Ryan, who hails from Lepton, first joined the Town Academy as an eight year-old.
The young ‘keeper has featured heavily for Town’s Under-18s over the last two seasons and also played in the 2015/16 Under-21 Professional Development League 2 Play-Off Final, where he impressed with some brilliant saves as the Terriers defeated Sheffield United to win the national title.
During the first year of his two year scholarship, Ryan received his first call-up to the England Under-18 squad in November 2016.
He went onto make his England U18s debut in March 2017 as the Young Lions beat Qatar 4-0.
The 17 year-old continued to impress for both club and country, whilst also enjoyed success during his first senior loan spell at FC United of Manchester – winning the Manchester Premier Cup in the process.
Before the end of the season he signed an extension to his first professional contract and received his first call-up to England’s Under-20s squad for the Toulon Tournament.
Ryan featured four times for England’s Under-20s and was influential in the Young Lions retaining the prestigious trophy, as he saved a penalty in the Final against Ivory Coast.
