Lee Nicholls offered professional contract in first year at club
When Roberto Martinez took charge last summer he spoke at length about his long-term plans for Wigan Athletic and how he wanted to take the club to the next level.
Nurturing the young talent at the club was, and still is, an important part of his blue-print for the future, and in Lee Nicholls, Latics' 17-year-old goalkeeper, we now have evidence that his plans are coming to fruition.
Nicholls was another arrival to the club in the summer, after spells at Blackburn Rovers and Liverpool, and his performances so far for the Youth and Reserve Team have now earned him a two-and-a-half-year professional contract.
Taking up the number 53 shirt Nicholls explained how amazed, and surprised, he was by the news and how he plans to keep working hard to further his progression at the club:
"It's a great feeling, I'm delighted. I just need to push on now keep working hard and hopefully earn another in the future," said Nicholls.
"It came as a bit of a shock at first, but I know what I need to do now and I'll continue to work hard each and every day.
"When I first arrived at the club my first aim was to earn a place in the youth team and then try to get one or two appearances for the reserves. So all this has been a big surprise but I'm made up and I'll be putting in 100% every day, as I always have.
"Obviously all the family were made up but rather than go out celebrating I just had a quiet night in and got myself ready for the next day's training.
"Graham Barrow and Dave Watson have been great with me so far, having worked with them in both the reserve and youth team. All I want to do now is get my head and keep on progressing the way I have been.
"Iniaki's (Bergarra, Wigan Athletic's Goalkeeping Coach) has also been fantastic, he's great to work with and he's definitely improved my game all-round."
Nicholls can't have asked for a better tutor than Chris Kirkland, a 'keeper who has been an integral part of Wigan Athletic since he joined and who continues to have a massive influence on the team today.
Kirky explained how Lee has impressed him and everyone else at the club since his arrival and revealed the secret to him continuing his development:
"Lee's done extremely well, and I've thought he could be special from the first time I saw with him," said Kirkland.
"I even got my agent to sign him up, which says everything.
"Like me he's moved to Wigan from Liverpool, a move that was great for me.
"I would say it's probably been the best spell of my career - and hopefully in a few years, when I decided to hang up my boots, Lee will be there to take over.
"Training with the first team and playing more for the reserves should challenge him a bit more than he has been.
"I was fortunate enough to have been put in the First Team at 18 at Coventry, but it is very hard for young keepers who sometimes have to wait for their chance.
"I've had a good run since then and if Lee can do the same then he'll be a great asset to the club.
"He just needs to carry on working hard, cleaning my boots, and he should do all right!"
So how has the experience of working with the club's professional goalkeepers helped Nicholls?
"The opportunity to be working with the likes of Chris, Mike (Pollitt) and Vladimir (Stojkovic) is amazing, and I think every young goalkeeper in the world would jump at the chance.
"Chris has already helped me so much with all aspects of my game, and told me I have to push on now, not sit back.
"He was actually at Liverpool when I was there, and he's someone I've looked up to and wanted to be like since I was a kid.
"The gaffer has also been very good with me. He told me I have a great chance of making it if I carry on doing the right things.
"The training is intense but also enjoyable. It's a lot different to what I've been used to but my game has improved so much as a result."
