Wanderers chief hails it as 'phenomenal'
Dillon Grass in action for Dorking Wanderers B team against Arundel (Photo by Stuart McAlister)
Dillon Grass in action for Dorking Wanderers B team against Arundel (Photo by Stuart McAlister)
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Marc White admitted it was a “phenomenal” week for the Dorking Wanderers Academy after two teenagers made steps up into the upper echelons of the football pyramid.
It was confirmed last Thursday that winger Josh Hebert has left the Mole Valley club to sign for Championship side Charlton Athletic.
And then on Friday, the club confirmed that midfielder Dillon Grass has extended his trial period at Premier League side AFC Bournemouth.
Hebert, 18, impressed while on trial with the Addicks - during which he made five starts for Chris Lock’s U21s side, scoring four goals, registering two assists and winning a penalty.
Josh Hebert tries to break the Tonbridge Angels defence (Photo by Stuart McAlister)
Josh Hebert tries to break the Tonbridge Angels defence (Photo by Stuart McAlister)
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The Dorking teenager had been with Wanderers since the age of 12 and after impressing for the academy, was invited to join the first team for pre-season training last summer with him going on to make 12 National League South appearances this season.
After putting pen to paper with the Addicks, Hebert said: “It’s a really good feeling to sign a professional contract at Charlton, a club that I’ve grown up watching. It’s a really proud moment for me and my family.”
Charlton academy advisor Steve Avory, who oversaw Hebert’s trial period, commented: “We’re delighted to get the signing of Josh over the line. It’s not easy for any trialist coming in, but what Josh was able to do and prove is that he can impact every game.
"Alistair Clarke, our head of emerging talent, had been monitoring him for quite a while to get him in and he’s done a good job.”
Meanwhile Grass, who has also been part of the first team set up at Meadowbank this season, was invited to trial at Premier League side the Cherries.
The 17-year-old joined the south coast side on Tuesday, April 7 and has impressed enough that Bournemouth have requested to extend his trial for a further week.
And Wanderers chairman and first team manager White believes it is a sign of how far the Academy has come.
“The Academy has gone from strength to strength,” White said. “It’s not just the Academy, because we’ve had an Elite Development Programme that’s been running for the past five years, that fed into the Academy – and all of that has strengthened our younger players, which is why we’ve seen so many more of them featured in the first team on a regular basis.
“We believe that our Academy system is one of the best outside the Football League.
"Josh Hebert’s won a deal with the Championship club and in Dillon Grass, we’ve got someone in the advanced stages of a Premier League trial, which is phenomenal.
"So I think really that’s the word there – it’s been phenomenal.”