Season › 2022-23 › News Jack Patterson signs his first Everton contract Michael Kenrick 21/10/2022 2comments | Jump to last Jack Patterson has signed his first professional contract with Everton, after joining the Under-18s from Northern Ireland back in the summer. The young midfielder turned 17 earlier this month and has played a part in all 8 games under Leighton Baines so far this season. The new contract runs for 3 years.“To get a professional contract as a footballer is every young boy’s dream,” Patterson told evertonfc.com.“It means so much to me, my family, and everyone back in my hometown of Ballyclare. Article continues below video content “I’ve settled in very well ever since I joined Everton in the summer. From day one, the players have really taken me in. It feels like I’ve been here for years.“I’ve really enjoyed working with Leighton Baines. He’s a very humble and down-to-earth person. He’s one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met in football and I love playing for him.“He understands the game so well. I remember him as a player and he was incredible, so it’s great to learn from someone who has been there and done it at the highest level.” Reader Comments (2) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer () James Flynn 1 Posted 21/10/2022 at 19:13:35 Good luck youngster.Anyone seen him play? Dupont Koo 2 Posted 22/10/2022 at 03:35:14 Good news. Although a lot of us haven't seen Jack play, locking him up for 3 years would mean:1) A full season under Bainsey at U18 until June 2023.2) If he shows good progress, he will be promoted to U21 for the next season, the 2nd year of his contract; if he is not ready, another season at U18.3) By June 2024, the number of minutes on the field should be big enough to decide whether he will have a future with Everton that warrants a contract extension. Even if we are not 100% sure by then and choose to extend, the salary needed should not be too outrageous and that can make him affordable for Football League clubs to take him on loan. The caveat is that he won't even turn 19 when the club has to go through all of the above, which is a big improvement over the mis-handling of prospects before Thelwell's arrival. Add Your Comments In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site. » Log in now Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site. How to get rid of these ads and support TW © ToffeeWeb