Chesterfield’s Jack Broadhead is expected to sign a two-and-a-half year professional deal later today.
The 18-year-old central defender who captain’s the youth-team was the clubs Young Player of the Year last season.
He has started this term in equally fine form and has been in and around the first-team squad on several occasions prior to making his debut in Saturday’s 6-1 win over Hartlepool in the FA Cup.
Paul Cook’s decision to reward Broadhead with this deal so early into the second year of his Apprenticeship, is a shot in the arm for the Spireites youth department and in particular, the long serving Dave Bentley and his trusted lieutenant Mark Jules.
“It’s unheard of really for us to give a contract out to a young player at this stage of the season,” said Bentley. “Jack is a good lad who has done really well for us.”
“He’s impressed the new Manager and I think this deal is a reflection of how well he’s done and the potential he’s shown.”
“The next step for him now is to go on and get in the team on a regular basis.”
Last weekend six of Cook’s match-day squad were former or current youth-team graduates and Bentley believes that the Proact Stadium is the perfect environment for young players to prosper.
“The Manager’s not been here that long but his attitude seems to be that if they’re good enough he’ll give them a chance,” continued Bentley.
“Look at Cameron Mason. He’s still only 16-years-old and he’s been on the bench for the last couple of games. I don’t know too many other club’s who’d put a first year apprentice goalkeeper on the bench.”
“Craig (Clay), Tendayi (Darikwa), Jacob Hazel, Jonathan Wafula are all first-team regulars and of course Jordan (Bowery) moved on to Aston Villa in the summer, so it shows the sort of philosophy we’ve got here in giving our young players a chance,” added Bentley.
