NI teenager awarded first professional contract after impressing at West Ham United

West Ham United have rewarded highly-rated Northern Ireland teenager Michael Forbes with a first ever professional contract after an impressive year as youth team captain.

Forbes, who was recently part of Ian Baraclough’s senior training camp at St George’s Park, is one of seven Academy scholars to put pen-to-paper with the Hammers.

The 18-year-old, who played for Cookstown Youth and Dungannon Swifts before moving to East London in 2020, helped the U18s to a runners-up finish in the Premier League South.

The 6’2” tall centre back has also featured for the U23s, making his first start for West Ham’s development team in a 4-2 win over Crystal Palace in December.

On Forbes earning his first professional contract with the club, U18s lead coach Kevin Keen said: “Michael was a fantastic youth team captain for us last year.

“He’s a big, strong central defender who came into West Ham late, but has progressed rapidly to the stage where he is now on standby for the Northern Ireland U21s.”

Forbes, a dominant but composed left footed centre-back, was recently named in Northern Ireland’s U19 squad for a forthcoming friendly double header in Malta on June 8 and June 10.

The other West Ham scholars to sign professional deals are goalkeeper Jacob Knightbridge, right-back Junior Robinson, left-back Regan Clayton, centre-back Kaelen Casey, defender Will Greenidge and midfielder George Earthy.

The newly-signed professionals will now graduate to the next stage of their development; regularly training with West Ham United U23s at Rush Green Training Ground.

Academy Manager Ricky Martin said: “Each of these players has performed very well as scholars and adapted well to the day-to-day life of being a footballer.

“That hard work must now