HARRIERS are pleased to confirm that Academy players Josh Bishop and Samson Hewett have penned their first professional contracts with the club.
Goalkeeper Bishop, 19, and winger Samson, who turns 18 shortly, have been training regularly with the first team over the last year or two, and now make the step up to Russ Penn’s squad having been offered terms this summer.
It comes after the end of their time with our Academy set-up where they’ve combined their football and education on full-time programmes, following in the footsteps of the likes of Tom Palmer and Ethan Freemantle.
Hewett has been with the club since his early teens, featuring in FA Youth Cup campaigns as well as being named in four first-team squads last season as well as being Academy Player of the Season.
He made great progress with the England Colleges FA last season, too, making it all the way to the final stages of last term’s action.
Shot-stopper and local lad Bishop continued his progress last season by combining his studies and Academy football with regular first team action at Stourport Swifts.
He even featured against the Reds for Swifts in their successful Worcestershire Senior Cup winning campaign. He was their Young Player of the Season and kept an impressive 21 clean sheets.
The pair will now add more competition to Penn’s ranks, with Academy Manager Luke Astley proud to see them taking the next step on their journey.
Astley said: “Josh has gone out and got good valuable loan experience and done well, and Samson has been around for the last 12 months or so, doing pre-season last season and this year.
“You can see how much that has brought him on loads. We’re really pleased with both of their development.”
The link between the first team management and the Academy continues to go from strength to strength, with Astley adding: “They’re always asking questions about who is doing well and the things we can do.
“We’re absolutely delighted with that link, we just keep going and doing what we’re doing.”