Academy Manager delighted to see Ryan get his first pro contract
Academy Manager Andy Jones was delighted for youngster Ryan Barnett after he signed his first professional deal with the club earlier this week.17 year old Barnett signed a two and a half year deal after impressing in what is only his first year as scholar.
Ryan is the first player to graduate from the Academy since Andy took over the role midway through 2016 and Jones is really pleased.
“As an Academy it’s a fantastic thing and as staff and players we are chuffed to bits with him”, Andy told ShrewsWeb.
“He fully deserves it. He’s been fantastic this year like a lot of the other boys and it’s a good story for the club, it’s a good story for him and we hope he continues with his development.
“He’s Shrewsbury through and through. He was born in Shrewsbury, he’s been here since he was eight and he probably gone on record saying how much he loves the club.
“He’s a very good player, he’s got a very good future ahead of him and the club has supported us and we’re really chuffed for him.”
Barnett has had a long journey with Shrewsbury Town and Jones believes it is evidence that the Academy system works.
“He’s had some really good coaches all the way through from Under-8s to Under-18s and it’s a testimony to the academy with how we he has developed”,
“It proves that if you get the right people in place it can happen. We’ve got quite a few other lads coming through in the same position as himself and if they stick with the system it can produce players like himself.
“The EPPP (Elite Player Performance Plan) is here to give clubs the support and opportunity to bring players through our own systems and that’s what we intend to do and that’s what we want to do.
“We encourage our lads to come in at 8, 9, 10 and stay with us the whole time. Evidently, people are going to be lost along the way, people are going to be released unfortunately along their journey, but we will do everything we can to develop them.”