Central Coast Mariners have retained the services of 21-year-old striker Josh Bingham and 18-year-old keeper Tom Heward-Belle.
Bingham has been rewarded with a contract extension whilst Heward-Belle put pen to paper on his first professional Hyundai A-League deal.
Bingham, who’s contract extension will see him remain a Mariner until at least the end of the Hyundai A-League 2016/17 season is a former captain of the Foxtel National Youth League outfit.
The South Coast born attacker has experienced a break out season during 2015/16 where he has bagged three goals and provided an effective option to lead the Mariners’ line.
Bingham was thrilled to ink a new deal with the Central Coast Mariners and thanked the coaching staff for the chance he has been given.
“I’m very pleased to sign an extension, it was a goal of mine at the start of the season,” Bingham said.
“I feel like I’m in the perfect environment to develop my game and become the player that I believe I can be.
“Tony & ‘ Hutch’ have had a lot of time for me and have belief in what I can bring to the team and I try to repay that faith every time I go onto the field.
“There’s no better way to make a name for yourself than playing on the national stage and I’m very thankful to get the amount of chances I’ve had this season,” Bingham said.
Bingham also noted how valuable it has been to learn from former Sunderland striker, Roy O’Donovan.
“Roy has played in the English Premier League, to have a player alongside me who has been exposed to the best level in the world has been very helpful, he’s brought a lot of professionalism to training and helped me out individually in a number of different aspects of my game,” Bingham said.
Heward-Belle experienced a baptism of fire with the Mariners when his Hyundai A-League debut saw him face up for a penalty during the club’s Boxing Day fixture vs. Sydney FC.
The former Western Sydney Wanderers shot-stopper will remain at the club until at least the end of the Hyundai A-League 2017/18 season and was grateful for the time the Mariners have invested in him.
“It’s been an amazing experience for me and a massive step up, the biggest mentor for me has been Nashy [Matthew Nash – Goalkeeper Coach], he’s really helped me mentally and physically to be able to make that transition because it all happened so fast,” Heward-Belle said.
“Getting A-League experience is huge, as a young keeper you might get caught in the trap of becoming a training keeper, so to be exposed at such a young age can only benefit me in my career.
“My long term goal is to play overseas but obviously in the two years that I am contracted with the Mariners I want to work as hard as I can and do my best for the club because they’ve invested a lot of time and effort into me and I feel like I owe the club a lot in return,” Heward-Belle said.
Heward-Belle’s Hyundai A-League contract commences at the start of the 2016/17 season.
