Bristol Rovers have handed 17 year old Apprentice Darren Jefferies his first professional contract.
The young midfielder has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract after impressing Manager Paul Trollope over the last few months.
The deal comes just after his seventeenth birthday and two days after he scored for Rovers’ U18 side in their 3-1 win at Bournemouth.
“He’s a player that’s made huge steps forward in the time he’s been with us,” Trollope told BBC Radio Bristol.
“He’s shown the quality and application that we’re looking for. He’s had a flirt with the first team squad and and done very, very well.”
As well as training with the first team, Darren has travelled with the group already this season and he said;
“I’m delighted to have signed my first pro contract with the Club. I realise that there is a lot of hard work ahead for me and I’ll be doing my best over the course of this contract to ensure that I’m offered another one when the time comes around.”