Barnet Apprentice Mauro Vilhete has signed a two year professional contract with the Club and was told yesterday by stand-in Manager Paul Fairclough that he will travel with the first team for the League Two relegation battle with Grimsby Town tomorrow.
Just over a year ago Mauro was playing for Barnet FC’s award winning Community Kickz Project. He was voted Player of the Tournament when Barnet Kickz won a national competition.
Having attracted attention from a number of Premier League Clubs including a scholarship offer from Aston Villa, Mauro opted to sign as an Apprentice for Barnet.
Head of Youth, Jeremy Steele has been delighted with Mauro’s progress:
“Mauro really is an exciting prospect, he’s the sort of player that has the potential to get crowds on their feet with his pace and ability to beat players. Allied with that ability is a work rate and maturity that will stand him in good stead.”
“We were fortunate to unearth such a talented player, and it’s fantastic that he’s a local lad who has grown up just a stones throw from Underhill Stadium.”
Mauro is the second signing from Barnet’s Centre of Excellence after Reece Yorke, a 17 year old England schoolboy international, signed a one year deal earlier this month. Steele added:
“Both Reece and Mauro have an opportunity to stake a claim in the first team now. The door is open and it’s up to them to walk through it.”
“For us to have had two players secure professional contracts in our first season is a phenomenal achievement. To think there was nothing here 10 months ago, no players, no teams, no staff and a half finished training ground.”
“The Club and Centre of Excellence staff have worked tirelessly to get the Youth Programme off the ground and it’s great for everyone especially our younger boys at the Centre to see that young players will be given a chance at Barnet Football Club.”
