Leeds United youngster Sam Byram has penned a new contract with the club for the second time this season.
His original professional contract was ripped up when he agreed new terms on a three-year-deal with the club in August after a good start to the campaign.
And that deal has now been superseded by a new improved three-and-a-half-year-contract.
Remarkably the 19-year-old full-back has been the only ever present in Neil Warnock’s first-team this season, his first as a professional, starting 34 of Leeds 37 matches and coming on a a substitute in the other three.
This time last season Byram was still an Apprentice at the club.
“If someone had said I would be in this position now I wouldn’t have believed them,” Byram told WE ARE LEEDS.
“It’s all happened in the space of six months so it’s been relatively fast.”
“I just want to keep improving now. I’m still young and have lots of growing to do. I’ve got lots of stuff still to learn and I just want to keep on playing and trying to get better.”
With Leeds just six points off the final play-off spot held by Middlesbrough – the youngster’s miscued clearance against last Saturday against Cardiff ultimately denied Warnock’s men the chance to close that gap as Craig Bellamy teed up Frazier Campbell for the game’s only goal.
And while it was harsh on Leeds and Byram, who had been otherwise excellent until that point, Warnock believes that this type of mistake will be erased as the youngster gains more experience.
“I don’t know how you coach that,” said Warnock. “You’ve got to know that you put it in row Z which he’ll (Byram) do every time now for the rest of his career probably.”