Official: Six Professional Deals In Academy

By: Watford FC Staff

Watford FC are delighted to announce that six players from the Academy have signed professional deals.

The young Hornets have signed one-year deals, with an extra year's option for each player.

Kamil Conteh

Midfielder

“I'm delighted. It means so much as I've worked so hard and it feels like it's all come to fruition. I just want to thank the club as they have given me the opportunity to show my ability and now is the time to take the next step, whether than be go on loan or pushing for the first team.

“It feels really exciting under Jimmy Gilligan and Richard Johnson and it's clear they are really going to try and push us. I now want to start pushing for the next contract by showing what I can go and do.”

Kane Crichlow

Forward

“I'm happy to sign and I'm looking forward to the new season. Hopefully I can go out on loan and get some first team experience. It has been a great experience to get opportunities to train with the first team. You can learn a lot from them just seeing how good professionals train every day.

“I just want to get as much men's team experience under my belt this season, to see what it's like with how physical it will be and it will be a great opportunity for me to develop even more.”

Dominic Hutchinson

Forward

“I've been here since seven so it means a lot. It's always the dream, it's what every little boy wants and now I've finally got there I'm delighted and my family are proud. You have to make sacrifices, like when your friends are out doing normal teenage things but you can't do that if you want a career in this game.

“I'm still nowhere near where I want to be but my Mum, Dad and God have always been there for me. It's like a second home to me here.”

JJ McKiernan

Forward

“It's brilliant, I'm so happy I can barely describe it. Everyone is buzzing for me, my friends, my family. Since the age of six, this is all I've dreamed off and to finally do it and achieve it is brilliant. I'll be forever grateful for this opportunity as they have developed me into the player I am today.

“I want this just to be the start and, fingers crossed, everything keeps going the way it's going. I need to score more goals, get more assists and improve my performance level.”

Adam Parkes

Goalkeeper

“I’m really happy. Last season was good for me, travelling with the first team a lot and getting good experience. You see the standards the players have and how they play a lot of games under high pressure as well as being chilled out at the right times, so you learn so much from working with the likes of Ben [Foster] and Dan [Bachmann] every day.

“Going on loan to Barnet came at a good time for me because it's led nicely into this season. I've got that under my belt now and it was really good for me.”

Daniel Phillips

Midfielder

“I'm so happy to get it done. It shows the club has faith in me and I think it's an opportunity to push on and prove myself that I can be a player at this club. My family are so happy and really proud and I just need to prove myself at first-team level now.

“I want to go out on loan, stay fit this time and get a good run of games under my belt.”

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