Apprentice defender Harrison Minturn has signed his first professional contract with Swindon Town.
The talented youngster has been rewarded with a professional deal after impressing Head Coach Ben Garner this season and will now join up with the Reds for preseason ahead of his first full professional season in 2022/23.
Minturn has worked his way up through the ranks having joined the Swindon Town Academy 12 years ago. This season he has trained with the first team on a number of occasions and made his senior debut against Newport County in the Papa John’s Trophy in November last year.
The defender has also featured on the bench throughout the year for the League Two outfit, while he has also enjoyed two hugely successful loan spells with non-league neighbours Chippenham Town.
Swindon Town’s Director of Football, Ben Chorley, told the club website: “The club are delighted to announce Harrison’s pro contract.
“He’s been in the Academy since the age of eight, playing at every level and impressing with his commitment and his worth ethic.
“He’s gone out on loan this season to Chippenham to play men’s football at a very good standard in the Conference South, and he’s developed very well.
“We feel he’s got a very bright future. The hard work for Harrison starts now, can he follow in Harry Parsons’ footsteps in being part of the first team on a daily basis.
“Ben Garner has proved this season that he will give young players an opportunity to progress and the freedom to go and play.
“For us at Swindon Town Football Club, the Academy is paramount. We’re putting an awful lot of work in to make that pathway from the youth to the first team a successful transition over the next five years.”
After the ink had dried on the contract, Minturn explained how much it meant to him to represent the club he had grown up supporting:
“It is huge to me and my family, especially being from Swindon myself.”
“I’ve been at the Academy for 12 years so for that hard work to pay off is huge, and it means a lot to be part of this club.
“Watching the games when I was younger, then joining the Academy and working all the way through to being privileged enough to be with the first team week in and week out – it is massive.
“I just want to be able to compete in preseason and make sure I’m in and around it.
“If I am called upon, I want to show what I can do and I want to be here as long as I can.”
