Haverfordwest County AFC are delighted to announce that exciting academy prospect, Harri John, has signed his first professional contract with the club.

The talented 16-year-old has put pen to paper on a two-year deal, which has an option for a third year.

Nicknamed ‘Messi’, the youngster played his junior football at Camrose, Prendergast Villa and Goodwick United before joining the Academy setup at Haverfordwest County.

After an impressive campaign for the under-16s team in the FAW Academy South last season, which saw him net 12 goals in 24 appearances, John has gained first team experience in the early stages of this season, appearing on the bench for our 1-1 draw at Bala Town before being named as a substitute for the games against Penybont and Newtown last week.

He outlined his potential by making his debut in Division One of the Pembrokeshire Football League in Goodwick’s 5-2 victory over Carew back in April.

Shortly after signing, Harri said: “It still feels quite surreal. I didn’t think this would happen all of a sudden, but it’s a really proud moment, especially for my parents who have been supporting me throughout my career.”

Manager Tony Pennock shared his delight at another Pembrokeshire youngster committing their future to the club, adding: “I’ve been really pleased with the academy and the work they’re doing, and Harri is another example of the talent coming through the system, he is a player the club thinks highly of.

“When he has trained with the first team, he has shown that he’s very talented, and the more exposure he gets will only help him moving forward.

“This is testament to the hard work of the academy staff and all of the grassroots coaches Harri has had since he started playing. It shows that there is plenty of talent in Pembrokeshire, and the right people are in place to nurture their development.”

Everyone at Haverfordwest County is delighted to have Harry on board for at least the next couple of years, and we are excited to see how he continues to develop as a footballer.