Town boss Paul Jewell has confirmed that academy first-year scholar Joe Whight has been offered a professional contract, as revealed by TWTD on Wednesday. Former Copleston High School pupil Whight has been handed a two-year deal.
Having released keeper Ian McLoughlin, midfielder Billy Clark and academy defenders Josh Meekings and Rory McKeown, Jewell says he was delighted to give Whight his good news: "As horrible as it is that I’ve had to let a couple of lads go this week, but by the other token we’ve offered a two-year contract to first-year scholar Joe Whight, who’s 17. That sends out a message that if you’re doing well, we’re going to reward you.
"I called Joe into the office and he was absolutely petrified, he thought he was in for a rollocking! But I offered him a pro contract and the delight on his face was something to behold.
”As terrible as you feel when you break the news to the kids that you’re not going to keep them, to see Joe’s face light up was a picture.”
The Blues boss is pleased with the way the club’s youth set-up is producing players with teenage duo Connor Wickham and Josh Carson, whose bootboy skills Jewell has repeatedly criticised - "he forgets to do my boots every morning" - set to start this afternoon against Crystal Palace: "We’ve got a decent academy here and it’s nice to see some decent players coming through. Joe has done well in the reserves, he’s done well in training and he’s done well for the youth team.
"I could have waited until next summer to make a decision on him, but I thought that he’s done well enough already and it sends out a message that it’s a difficult profession to make a living out of but if you do well early enough, like Joe’s done in his first year, [you get your rewards].”
The Town manager now wants to see the left-back, left midfielder or centre-half push on towards the first team: "I want him to start thinking like a pro, training with the pros. That’s the reason I’ve done it, to reward him as well.
"He was elated, his mum and dad were made up, so it’s all good news for him. But by the same token it’s a difficult time to tell the other lads who we’re not keeping.
"What we’re saying to him is not just to be happy just to be one of the numbers. He’s got to start pushing himself — you're here because you deserve to be, you’re here because you’re good enough.
"He’ll have peaks and troughs just like Connor will, just like Josh will because that’s what all young players do, they’re inconsistent.”
Academy team-mate Carson says he's a big fan of Whight: "Joe is a fantastic player. He’s an extraordinary talent. I’ve played alongside him lots of times for the youth team.”