Official: Abbott Signs Professional Contract

By: Watford FC Staff

Promising Watford defender George Abbott has signed his first professional contract with the Hornets.

The Wales youth international, who turned 17 last week, has impressed in the Under-18s and Under-23s so far this season, and even played a part in the first-team’s pre-season fixtures against Arsenal, Brentford and West Bromwich Albion in the summer. The centre-half joined the academy in 2016, and has progressed through the ranks in his six years as a Hornet.

“I'm just so grateful to be signing my first professional contract,” said Abbott. “I'd like to say thank you to all the staff that have worked with me over the years here, and also a massive thank you to my mum and dad and my siblings who have supported me for the last 10 years now.

“My mum and dad have always taken me to training sessions three, four times a week, games on Saturdays and Sundays, and have tried not to miss any game whether I am playing in Manchester, whether I've got an international game in another country, or whatever. They always try their best to get there and I'm just so grateful and I hope in the next few years I can repay them for that.

“I've been here six years now, hopefully I can push on. It's time to focus and push on to the next contract. It's another milestone.”

Abbott has signed a deal with the Golden Boys until the end of the 2022/23 campaign, with an option to extend for a further year. This season has seen major growth in the youngster with the step up to Under-23 football, and wearing the armband on occasion for Tom Hart’s Under-18s. He credits his coaches for his development this term as he continues to progress.

He said: “Being in and around the first-team in pre-season has helped me a lot and now going from the Under-18s I want to push on to the Under-23s, and I think with the great support from Omer Riza and Richard Shaw they will help me develop a lot more and improve as a player, which is the main thing.

“The intensity is a lot higher playing in the Under-23s compared to the Under-18s, both in training and in the games. In matches you are coming up against grown men essentially, or players who are trying to break into their first-team, so every game is a great challenge and I'm ready to kick on.”

Abbott’s impressive showings in a Watford shirt have attracted international attention. He has played for Wales’ Under-16 and Under-18 sides, including in a draw with England this season. The added motivation of representing his country helps Abbott on and off the pitch.

“I always love the international games because you are playing against top nations and you’re playing against the best players,” Abbott explained. “I like to see where I am at so if I can keep the best strikers who are playing for their nations in my pocket then I'm doing my job. It's helped me massively and I hope I can push on in the Wales setup too.”

Part of the spirited Under-18s side which took Chelsea to extra-time and beat Cardiff City in dramatic fashion in the FA Youth Cup, Abbott has experienced plenty of highs for Watford in this season alone. The youth side played at Vicarage Road and the Cardiff City Stadium in this year’s competition, an exciting experience for any young professional.

Reflecting on a narrow defeat to the Blues, Abbott is proud of what he and the team achieved at The Vic in front of over 1,000 supporters, and is excited to make more memories in a Watford shirt.

“It was brilliant, I think all the fans were on our side, I don't know that there were many Chelsea fans there to be honest,” said Abbott. “Any time we had a chance to score they were going crazy and as a player when your legs are going and it's the 115th minute it was just a little thing that kept us going and kept that adrenalin rush.

“Even Harty [Tom Hart] said in the group chat that I think it had been nine or 10 years since Chelsea were taken to extra-time in the FA Youth Cup, and I thought we could have got the win that day. Obviously it's a shame but thanks to all the parents and all the fans that came down to support us because it felt almost like a first-team game, with a proper serious build-up and the boys are all proud of themselves and the coaches were proud of us too.

“When you step out on that pitch and when you go out for our warm-up and you see even some of the Under-9s and Under-10s standing there up against the boards, it's incredible. You are thinking and imagining this is with maybe 1,000 fans, so imagine a full Vicarage Road - it would just be crazy! It's a good sniff to see what it's like, but obviously playing first-team is the next level.”

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