Bradford City AFC is pleased to announce that Freddy Jeffreys, Noah Wadsworth and Sam Bentley have signed initial one-year professional contracts.
The trio of academy graduates have put pen to paper on deals which will keep them at the University of Bradford Stadium until the conclusion of 2023/24.
Meanwhile, Gabriel Wadsworth, younger brother of Noah, has been offered a one-year professional contract to begin from 2024/25.
Bentley - who took last season’s Academy Player of the Year award at the End of Season Dinner - and both Wadsworth brothers started at the Horsfall Community Stadium on Wednesday evening, as a City XI took on Bradford (Park Avenue) in their latest pre-season outing.
Midfielder Jeffreys (pictured above, second from right), and defenders Bentley (right) and Noah Wadsworth (second left) will continue to develop in the Bantams’ under-19s side next season, while Gabe Wadsworth (left), also a midfielder, will complete the second of his two-year scholarship with the club, before turning professional.
City’s lead professional development phase coach, Ryan Farrell, said: “I have been fortunate enough to work with these players for quite a few years now, and to have seen them develop as players and as people is something they should be proud of, as should the academy.
“Last season was challenging for all us, for number of reasons. It was incredibly hard for the players, but their resilience, perseverance and personality has shone through.
“If players are going to progress with us, they must be applying themselves professionally - on and off the pitch. This group of players can be trusted. They do the right things and make the right choices, whether we as coaches are around or not. Every time they step in the building, they know who they represent.
“We are looking forward to continuing to support them and seeing them grow - both on and off the field.
“They have given everything they have, and deserve this opportunity. Everyone in the academy is extremely proud of them.”