WASP CREATES OWN BUZZ
JAMIE VARDY was buzzing last night after a player nicknamed ‘The Wasp’ became the first player from his V9 Academy to sign a pro contract.
And Danny Newton has even followed in the footsteps of the England star by giving up his day job to play full-time after landing a deal with League Two Stevenage.
Striker Newton, 26, handed in his notice at the Leicester factory where he was employed as a maintenance engineer.
Vardy worked in a carbon fibre splint factory and did not join a League club until he was 25, when he signed for Leicester from Fleetwood.
“When my agent John Morris told me that Danny had received an offer from Stevenage I was buzzing,” said Vardy.
“He was one of the first players that we recruited to the academy and he seems to have had a similar journey to myself.” Newton was out of contract after bagging 29 goals for National League North Tamworth.
Now Stevenage have offered him a contract with an option for a second year. Newton said: “I was on holiday in Ibiza with my missus when I got the call from John to say Stevenage had offered me a deal.
“It’s all been a bit of a whirlwind, I’ve had to go in and hand in my notice as training starts Monday.
“Jamie’s been really supportive. He text me to say he was really pleased I’d got a contract and that if I continued to work hard everything else would fall into place. I can see there are similarities to my story and Jamie’s. “He’s lived the dream to the max, winning the title, playing in the Champions League and becoming a regular in the England team. “If I could do even half of what’s he done it would be amazing.” Newton is called ‘The Wasp’ because he doesn’t give defenders a minute’s peace.