Gavin McAteer signs three-year deal with Finn Harps on his 16th birthday

Gavin McAteer, a product of Milford United and the Finn Harps Academy, has penned his first senior deal with the Ballybofey club - on his 16th birthday.

The midfielder, who has been with the club for six years, made his senior debut against Kerry FC earlier this season and marked his home debut against Athlone Town with an assist.

“I’m very happy, I’ve been at the club a long time now, six years, and I’ve been waiting for this moment for a while so I’m delighted," McAteer told club media as he put pen to paper on Tuesday. "The boys in the squad have been great with me and I’ve learned a lot from them on what it takes at this level and I’m looking forward to continuing to learn and develop over the coming years.

"I’m proof that there is a clear pathway at the club now, there are a lot of talented players in the academy and it’s brilliant to know as a young player that if you work hard and put the hours in that you’ll get your chance with the first team. I’m sure there will be plenty more lads to follow me now and it’s a really exciting time for everyone.”

Harps boss Darren Murphy added: “It was an easy decision for me to bring Gavin into the squad, he has bags of potential and to his credit is very coachable and eager to learn. It’s not for me to take all the credit, or any of the credit for that matter, all I’ve done is put Gavin on the pitch. As he said himself, he has been here for six years and so the credit has to go to the coaches who have worked with him at each stage of his development.

"Gavin is an environment where he’ll be allowed to learn, allowed to grow and allowed to develop and it’s brilliant for the club to have another of our academy graduates signed to a senior deal. I’m delighted for him and his family, this three-year deal is a product of his hard work and is thoroughly deserved.”

Kevin McHugh, Assistant Coach and Head of Academy added: “It's massive for the club and massive for the academy. It’s why academies exist, to give the best players in Donegal and the Northwest the opportunity to compete at the highest level. Gavin’s come through the pathway, from development squads, the National League to now competing at senior level and he has taken to it like a duck to water.

"I have to give credit to Murph too, as a club it is vital that we produce and develop our own players. With Murph, he doesn’t care what it says on your birth cert, if you’re good enough you’re old enough and there will be opportunities for you.”