Young striker Ethan Johnston has become the second player to graduate from the Northampton Town Football & Education programme to sign a professional contract with the club.
Johnston, a prolific scorer with the Football & Education programme who has continued that form in the under 18 team since coming through in to the Academy, has signed a contract until the end of the 2020/21 season, and manager Keith Curle said the contract was very much deserved.
"There is always something special about a local lad coming through to sign a professional deal and Ethan deserves this contract," he said.
"He has shown tremendous development in the last 18 months or so and he has a fantastic attitude.
"We have shown we are not afraid to give young players from our Academy and Football & Education programme their place in the first team squad when they deserve it.
"As we always say with any young player, this is the start of the hard work but all of the coaches and staff at both the Academy and the Football & Education programme can take a huge amount of pride in this news, as of course can Ethan and his parents."
Johnston, who was on the bench for the recent Emirates FA Cup fourth round tie with Derby County has been awarded squad number 31 for the rest of the 2019/20 season.
Although yet to make his first team debut, Johnston is the latest young player to come through in to the first team squad. The appearance of Morgan Roberts in last month's fourth round tie with Derby County was the 100th time a player from the club's Academy or Football & Education programme had played for the first team under manager Keith Curle.
The club’s highly successful Football and Education Programme gives boys and girls the opportunity to combine their post-16 education with training and playing for Northampton Town as an FEP Scholar. To register your interest in joining the programme, please email pete.stephenson@ntfc.co.uk