18-year-old collects top Academy award
- Kian Harratt wins the top Academy prize
- Striker made his First Team debut in December 2019
- Comments from Academy Manager Emyr Humphreys
Young Huddersfield Town striker Kian Harratt has won the Antoni’s Memorial Academy Player of the Year award!
Kian has really impressed during the 2019/20 campaign and made a spectacular rise into the First Team, making his professional debut against Leeds United in December 2019.
The 18-year-old, who hails from Barnsley, joined Town’s new-look Under-17 group for the start of the 2018/19 campaign and commenced upon an amazing year of goalscoring. Over the course of his first year as a Young Terrier, Kian netted an amazing 32 goals in just 47 appearances for the U17, U19 and Elite Development teams.
That form saw him named ‘Scholar of the Year’ for Town at the end-of-season Premier League Youth Development Conference.
Kian missed part of pre-season ahead of the current campaign, but he returned from his injury with aplomb. Nine goals in just 14 Academy appearances alerted former Manager Danny Cowley to the young forward and he soon signed his first professional contract, committing his future until the summer of 2021 on 1 November.
Only a day later, he was named in the match day squad for the first time for the 1-0 Sky Bet Championship win at Brentford and his competitive debut soon followed; he came off the bench in the second half of the West Yorkshire derby against Leeds United in December.
That made Kian the second youngest player to feature in the second tier this season, behind Jude Bellingham.
Kian trained consistently with the First Team thereafter, but it was soon decided that he needed a further taste of senior football to further his development. He subsequently joined promotion chasing Vanarama National League side Harrogate Town on loan and will have his first experience of a Play-Off Final at Wembley Stadium in August 2020.
Huddersfield Town’s Academy Manager Emyr Humphreys commented:
“Kian thoroughly deserves this award and has made some fantastic steps this season.
“Ever since he joined the Club, he embraced our new approach and really pushed himself both on and off the pitch to improve his own game.
“Kian has faced a number of different challenges in the last 12 months; injuries, the highs and lows of being involved in our First Team and now his loan move to Harrogate.
“No matter what’s been thrown at him, Kian always brings the same relentless enthusiasm which is so refreshing to see in a young person. We’re really excited by his potential.”
