18-year-old collects top Academy award
- Tom Iorpenda wins Antoni’s Memorial Trophy
- Midfielder signed first professional contract in July 2022
- 18-year-old became a B Team regular this season
B Team midfielder Tom Iorpenda has won the Antoni’s Memorial Academy Player of the Year trophy for the 2022/23 season!
Tom has had an impressive 2022/23 season, which has seen him sign his first professional contract with Town and become a regular in Jon Worthington’s B Team this season.
The 18-year-old joined Town’s Academy from Brighton & Hove Albion as part of the Club’s summer intake ahead of the 2021/22 season and originally saw himself as a defensive midfielder but has grown this year into a box-to-box midfielder, helping push his team forwards and also ready to defend when needed.
His form saw the decision to see how he would fit into the B Team side this season, in which he has proven to be an influential addition to the squad.
The current campaign has seen the midfielder make 30 B Team appearances (22 starts and eight substitute appearances), three of these saw him get his name on the scoresheet – including the outrageous goal he scored against Brentford B in April from a free kick inside his own half!
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— HTAFC Academy (@htafcacademy) April 19, 2023
David Adewoju headed one back for Town before an UNBELIEVABLE goal from Tom Iorpenda, scored from his own half, against Brentford's B Team yesterday afternoon! 😲#htafc | #YoungTerriers pic.twitter.com/Ow9OYcgkOv
In March 2023, Tom joined Hyde United on loan for the remainder of the season – this saw the 18-year-old make seven appearances, with six starts and one substitute appearance as he experienced first team football.
July 2022 saw the midfielder put pen-to-paper on his first professional contract with the Terriers, committing his future to Town until the summer of 2025!
Tom follows in the footsteps of Alex Smithies (2009), Duane Holmes (2013), two-time winner Lewis O’Brien and teammate Brodie Spencer (2022) in winning the award.
The trophy is named in honour of Antoni Owczarek, a young Town fan who tragically lost his life in a car accident in 2004.
Tom Iorpenda has had a great season and we can’t wait to see what the next year holds!
