Academy second-year scholar Michael Crowe has signed a two-year professional contract at Town with an option for a further season. The 17-year-old was on the senior bench for the first time in a competitive fixture at QPR recently.

Crowe told the club site: “Obviously I’m delighted to have been offered a pro deal. This is a great football club and I feel I am learning all the time and making progress.

“I am training every day with Scott [Loach] and Dean [Gerken] and that is helping my development, and I’ve got a fantastic coach in Malcolm Webster as well.

“I’ve been around the first team this season and if I can put pressure on the two keepers then great, but my main focus at the moment is to be as good as I can be and play as much as I can for the U21s.”

London-born Crowe, whose father is English and mother Norwegian, joined the Blues last summer from Kristiansand side IK Start having been brought up in Norway.

He qualifies for Wales through his grandmother and was called into their U19 squad by ex-Blue Geraint Williams towards the end of last season.

Speaking about Crowe during pre-season, fellow keeper Scott Loach said: “He’s a great lad, I can’t speak highly enough of him and he’s got a great future ahead of him if he knuckles down and works.”

Photo: ITFC

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