Notts County’s Head of Youth, Michael Johnson is predicting big things from young defender Haydn Hollis after he signed a one-year professional deal at the club.
Hollis joins fellow youth graduates goalkeeper, Liam Mitchell and midfielders George Nicholas and Lewis Whiteley in agreeing professional terms at Meadow Lane.
Hollis has been named the youth team’s Player of the Year in each of the last two season and captained them to a second-place finish in the Youth Alliance North East Conference this term.
Johnson who started and ended his career at Notts County, either side of spells at Birmingham City, Derby County and Sheffield Wednesday, believes Hollis will go from strength to strength next year.
“Haydn is a hugely promising player,” he said in an interview with the Nottingham Post.
“He has come on leaps and bounds since he first came here as a midfielder. We quickly knew he would make a good centre-back. He’s a big lad, he’s very good on the ball and his range of passing is good, he’s strong in the tackle and rarely gets beaten in the air.”
“The exciting thing is he will only get better if he keeps working hard, which I’m sure he will do because he has a good attitude.
“I think he is good enough to play in the first team now and I’m sure he will make his debut for the first team at some stage next season. Being in and around the senior players every day will really help the next stage of his development.”
