Shaq Attack

Shaquille Hunter has today signed his first professional contract with Bristol Rovers, a two-year deal that comes in to effect on his 17th birthday next month. The talented winger has committed his future to the club despite reported Premier League interest in the shape of Manchester City and Liverpool throughout last season.

He has featured on the substitutes bench on a number of occasions and did so for the first time during the last campaign. He has not made his competitive debut as yet but will be hoping to kick on under the guidance of Mark McGhee who is known to be highly impressed with the teenage Bristolian.

Rovers' Head of Youth Ken Oram has described Hunter as a 'gifted player with great one-on-one ability. He is definitely a player who will excite'. I'm personally very pleased we've been able to acquire Shaquille's long-term future with the club, despite the interest from the top division, and it's great to see a local lad coming through our system and earning himself a contract. We've seen other young players with talent come through but not make an impact, however under McGhee each player will get a chance because, as he said when he took the job, 'if he's good enough he's old enough'. In this case Hunter has the quality to make a significant impact in our side and could be the ready-made, homegrown replacement for Mustapha Carayol should the winger move on.

I'm pleased that he sees his future with Bristol Rovers and now, alongside the release of the fixtures, I'm  beginning to get very excited for next season. It's the first in a long line of business that needs to be done this summer and hopefully this will kick it all off.