Jac Norris is savouring a special moment after the young Newport County midfielder signed his first professional contract with the club.
The 17-year-old has signed a two-year contract through to the end of June 2026 following a series of impressive performances since joining the Exiles’ academy scholarship programme last summer.
Since his arrival in NP19, Norris has made great strides with the academy, progressing through the age grades before eventually being handed his first team debut back in April.
Norris featured three times for County last season, those coming against Grimsby Town, Accrington Stanley and Tranmere Rovers.
And the academy graduate could not hide his delight at signing professional terms.
“I’m absolutely delighted to get the deal done,” said Norris.
“I’ve been here coming up to four years now and signing this means a great deal.
“There’s been a lot of work that has gone into this, both on and off the pitch, and I’m looking forward to what’s to come.
“The academy set-up has been huge for me over the last few years. The support I’ve received off Luke [Hussey] and the academy coaches has been really good.
“They’ve told me when I’ve been doing good, they’ve told me when I’ve been doing things wrong and how i can improve my game. They’ve been a big factor in my journey and development so far.
“Last season was a bit of a journey for me. I was injured through all of pre-season, I sort of managed to get back fit and got back into playing under 18’s football again.
“After playing a lot of minutes with them I feel like I developed really well and earned my chance with the first team.
“Since I’ve made the step up, I feel like I’ve done well. I try to be as brave as I can, and I’ve learned a lot from the experienced peers around me.
“Next season is going to be a big season for me, and the goal is to play as much as I can with the first team. I don’t just want to be there to make the numbers up, I want to play, and I want to make an impact.
"Any opportunity I get next season I’m going to relish and make sure I'm ready.”