Signing a professional deal with West Ham United is exactly what dreams are made of for Archie Woods.
The lifelong Hammers supporter has become the latest Academy prospect to put pen-to-paper on his first professional deal with the Club.
The young midfielder comes from a family of West Ham fans and Woods has been working tirelessly to represent the team since joining the Academy of Football at ten-years-old. Signing professional terms takes him one step closer to his goal.
Woods told whufc.com: “Signing a professional deal with West Ham United is a big achievement for my family and me. It’s something I’ve been dreaming of since day one. To do it at West Ham is a dream as well.
“I can remember watching football with my dad at a young age. Everyone in my family is mad for West Ham and I’ve been going to matches since I was five or six. My first home game was against Napoli at home in a pre-season fixture, and I’ve also done a few away games too. West Ham has been a huge part of my upbringing and my life.
“I’ve dreamt of playing for West Ham since I was five-years-old. It’s amazing to be able to say now that I’m a professional footballer for the team I’ve supported since I was a boy, and played for since I was ten.”
In penning his deal, Woods joins a number of his teammates from last season’s U18s in signing professional terms with the Club.
The 18-year-old is currently in Portugal, on a pre-season training camp with Mark Robson’s development team, in a squad that also includes Michael Forbes, Jacob Knightbridge, Regan Clayton, Kaelen Casey, George Earthy and Junior Robinson – players who were all regulars in the U18s last season.
“It’s great to share this with these boys,” he continued. “We’re such a tight group so to see a lot of the lads go through it together is really special. You feel happy for each other and it’s a really good environment to be around. We have a good buzz in the group and everyone wants to keep getting better and enjoying it.
“It’s been a good pre-season so far. We were in Scotland and we’re now in Portugal and being around these boys has been so good. We have a really good team spirit and we want to be here every day, learning and improving.
“The step up has been good. It’s been a lot more physical, and you need to be quicker on the ball. The quality is another step up as well and, as you go up the age groups, everything gets harder. You have to show you can adapt.”
With his professional deal signed, and the hard work for the new season well underway, Woods is eager to show just what he can do in midfield as part of the U21s squad.
“I’m a centre midfielder and I’m happy to play as a defensive midfielder or as a No8. I liked to tackle and break up play. I also like to drive forward when I get the opportunity. I like to think I’m a good character in the group as well.
“It’s a big 12 months now. I want to prove myself in the U21s and try to get a regular place in the team, play as much as possible and push on from there. The first team is the overall ambition, but I know I need to work hard to get there.”
