Huddersfield stars keeping it in the family

High is the son of Steve High and partner Eleanor Richardson and lives at Hoylandswaine, while loose forward Whitmore is the son of Eleanor’s sister, Karen Whitmore, and lives at Cawthorne.

Scott played his junior football from the age of seven with Penistone Church, and after two years was offered deals by a number of clubs, deciding to go with Town.

Originally spotted by Gerald Foster and Steve Kelly at a tournament in 2009, he signed for Town’s U9 academy side.

In 2017 he was offered a two-year scholarship with Town and, in doing so, was the only player from the original squad from 2009 to make that step – so is one of the longestserving scholars at the club.

Before the end of his first year as a scholar, he signed his first pro contract – also winning Town’s Premier League Scholar of the Year for the 2017/18 season for his achievements both on and off the pitch.

He also broke into Mark Hudson’s U23 side, captaining them despite his age, and six months later he put pen to paper again to extend his contract.

A box-to-box central midfield playmaker who is very comfortable on the ball, he now takes up the No 6 role in Hudson’s new-look U19 and elite development teams, skippering both sides.

Town academy manager Leigh Bromby said when Scott received his Scholar of the Year award: “He’s always professional and is very thorough in everything he does – he’s a great role model for all aspiring footballers.”

Ross started playing rugby league aged 10 for Crigglestone All Blacks, as a prop. At 14 he joined Castleford Lock Lane and also signed scholarship forms for the Giants, choosing them ahead of Wakefield and Castleford. The scholarship lasted two years and, by the end of that, he was playing for an academy contract. The Giants then offered him a twoyear part-time professional contract, and he did college work five times a week as well as training. Currently in his third year, he is training in pre-season with the first team and striving for a full-time professional contract, after proudly receiving the Ronan Costello Memorial award, playing loose forward. The 5ft 10in player, who weighs 87kg, has Sam Burgess as his player idol. On his own situation, he said: “I put in a lot of effort and hopefully rewards will come off the back of that. “This is my fourth year at the club, two years scholarship and two years in the academy.”

He’s always very professional. He’s a great role model for all aspiring footballers