AFC Bournemouth
AFC Bournemouth rising star Gavin Kilkenny expressed delight after signing a new contract at Vitality Stadium.
Kilkenny has been rewarded for his progress with a long-term deal, the teenager having been elevated to Eddie Howe’s first-team squad this season.
The 19-year-old midfielder was part of the club’s under-21 set-up when he returned for the start of pre-season but soon found himself stepping up.
He marked his arrival by scoring in a friendly against seven-time French champions Lyon and was handed his debut in the Carabao Cup against Forest Green Rovers in August.
Kilkenny, whose existing contract had been due to expire at the end of this season, was 16 when he left the family home in Beaumont, Dublin to pursue his dream with the Cherries.
He told afcb.co.uk: “I’m delighted. It’s great to sign a new contract and I’m really pleased for my family as well.
“I gave up school to come over when I was 16 and my mum and dad must have been wondering what I would do if I had to go back home.
“Knowing I’ve got a bit of security now will give them peace of mind. I can also stop borrowing money from my mum and can start to pay her back!
“When you move away from home and are just starting out, it can be tough and you need the support of your parents.
“As a young player, you have to prove yourself and work hard if you want to get on. You don’t get given anything on a plate and that’s how it should be. It’s character-building and you have to grow up quickly.
“My mum has helped me out and she has been paying for me for my whole life. She must be broke by now!”
Kilkenny, who has also won six caps for Republic of Ireland under-21s this season, impressed Cherries scouts during an Easter tournament run by St Kevin’s Boys, the Dublin-based youth football club whose graduates include Damien Duff, Jeff Hendrick and Robbie Brady.
He added: “When I came back in pre-season, I knew my contract was up the following summer. It’s in the back of your mind that you could be gone in a year and that’s good motivation.
“It’s not the main motivation but you know you have to work hard to keep pushing on. You know there’s no time to waste or it could be too late.
“To get a longer-term deal is great for me because it’s what I’ve been working for. It won’t change anything and I will keep trying to push on as if I only had two weeks left.”
Kilkenny, who has starred in the Cherries’ Premier League Cup campaign, added: “I knew I had to push on but didn’t expect things to take off as quickly as they did in pre-season.
“You need a manager who has faith in you and that’s what happened to me. You can be doing really well but if the manager doesn’t trust you then it doesn’t really matter.
“You need someone to take a gamble on you and the gaffer did. To offer me a longer-term deal just shows he has confidence and faith in me and that gives you that little extra push to look for more.”
Kilkenny was also keen to round-off the interview by thanking all the members of the club’s coaching staff who have helped his career to this point.
