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West Ham United have announced that Lewis Orford has agreed professional terms with the Club.
Just days after celebrating his 17th birthday, the midfielder put pen-to-paper on his contract at the Club’s historic training ground and Academy of Football at Chadwell Heath.
Orford has been a regular feature in the U-18s’ highly successful 2022/23 season so far, scoring seven goals in 18 appearances in all competitions, earned his debut for the development team in the Papa Johns Trophy and was named on the first-team substitutes’ bench for the UEFA Europa Conference League tie at FCSB earlier this campaign.
A lifelong West Ham fan, Orford becomes the fourth Academy scholar to secure a professional contract in recent months, following Ollie Scarles, Callum Marshall and Gideon Kodua in signing with the Irons.
“I am absolutely delighted to sign my first professional contract with the Club,” Orford said. “I have been here since the age of five, so it has been a long, really good journey and I have loved making memories here at the club.”
“It’s a proud moment for my family as well. They are all West Ham fans. My dad is a season-ticket holder, so he is very proud of me, and I know my mum and the rest of my family are too!”
“This Club has a good history of graduates from its Academy over the years. It’s a good moment for me, and I hope to kick on and get near the first team as soon as I can.”
Interim Academy Manager Kenny Brown said, “Everyone at West Ham United is delighted to see Lewis sign his first professional contract with the Club.”
“Lewis has been with the Academy since he was five-years-old and this news will make many people very happy. His development over this period has been impressive and he is now performing to a high level with the U18s and U21s.”
“Everyone at Chadwell Heath and Rush Green is excited to watch Lewis continue his development over the coming months and years.”
Orford joined the Academy of Football at a young age, working his way through the ranks before making his mark in the U18s during the 2021/22 season. A first full campaign in Kevin Keen’s youth team saw the midfielder play 28 times and score three goals, with Orford rewarded for his efforts with scholarship terms in June 2022.
The 2022/23 season began with Orford in inspired form for the U-18s, scoring four goals in the side’s opening five games in U-18 Premier League South, earning him a first chance in the U21s.
The youngster would be introduced for his debut in the development team in a Papa Johns Trophy tie away to MK Dons in October, before going on to make starts in the Premier League International Cup clashes against PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord and a Premier League 2 debut in January, when he came on as a late substitute in the 2-1 win away to Everton.
The midfielder’s early-season form was also rewarded with a senior call-up in November as Orford was included in the first0team squad for the Europa Conference League Group B clash away to FCSB. The 17-year-old was an unused substitute for David Moyes’ Hammers on an unforgettable evening for the Academy of Football.
