MATTHEW FOY SIGNS THREE-YEAR PROFESSIONAL CONTRACT
Cambridge United are delighted to announce that 18-year old centre forward Matthew Foy has signed his first professional contract with the club by committing his future until June 2019.
The youngster from Chatteris has been with the U's from the age of seven and first joined the Academy at Under 9 level, having been spotted by Tom Pell playing at Wisbech.
Foy's impressive ability allowed him to regularly play up an age group during his years in the academy as a schoolboy, and he has represented the U's in numerous tours.
More recently, the centre forward has led the line for the Youth Team and his 12 goals so far this season – including a brace in Tuesday night's FA Youth Cup win over Beaconsfield - have contributed heavily to the Under 18's strong start to the Youth Alliance League season.
Foy also gained valuable experience ahead of the 2016/17 campaign featuring for the first team three times during their pre-season schedule. The 18-year old has since been involved in the match day squad on the bench during both of United's Checkatrade Trophy fixtures against Shrewsbury Town and Middlesbrough.
Academy Manager Mark Bonner commented: "Matthews had his most consistent run of days training on the grass and in consecutive games over an 18 month period, and as a result is fulfilling the potential that we have seen in him over the past ten years.
"Every facet of his game can continue to improve and will do so over this next stage of his development but he is a strong centre forward who is scoring and creating goals in the youth team.
"We are proud of his progress and he is maturing into an exciting player who we believe has plenty of development left in him."
Foy has become the second scholar to pen a long-term deal with the club, following last month's announcement in which defender Harry Darling also signed a three year professional contract.
Cambridge United CEO Jez George added: "When the Academy was re-born in 2006, we said it would take ten years before we would fully see the fruits of our labour.
"With Harry Darling and Matt Foy, who was part of the first Under 9 group recruited ten years ago, both signing professional contracts and many other exciting prospects we are now seeing the benefit of so much hard work by so many people for so long within the club's youth system. That includes Steve Lilley, who whilst no longer at the club, was instrumental in signing Matt ten years ago.
"Matt is a fantastic advert for our academy. He is a first class young individual, who conducts himself impeccably and truly reflects the club's ethos of developing young players. We now look forward to watching him take the next step of his development as he strives to break into the first team."
Cambridge United supporters will get the opportunity to watch Foy and the Youth Team in action again at the Cambs Glass Stadium, with the Under 18's drawn another home tie in the Second Round of the FA Youth Cup against either Millwall or Worthing.