Wayne Hennessey's new deal at Wolves will take his Molineux career into a second decade.

 

And the Welsh number one admits he couldn't be happier by such a prospect.

 

It was as a 16-year-old that Hennessey first arrived at Wolves back in 2003, and in his second season was one of the star-studded Academy team which reached the semi finals of the FA Youth Cup.

 

Each and every one of his 105 first team appearances has since come under the stewardship of boss Mick McCarthy, the first of which when he was preferred to the experience of Michael Oakes in the play-off semi finals with West Bromwich Albion at the end of the 2006/07 season.

 

By that stage Hennessey had already posted some record-breaking exploits during his first taste of senior football - nine successive clean sheets coupled with nine victories for Stockport.

 

 

So there have already been plenty of positives for a keeper who at the age of 23 still has such a long career ahead of him, and the new five-year deal to keep him at the club until 2015 is just another.

 

"I'm delighted to have signed the new contract," says Hennessey.

"It's a big season for all of us and I'm hoping to play a part in it.

 

"We've been talking since last season and have got to where we all wanted to be and it's great to get it sorted out during pre-season.

"It means I can kick on now and prepare for hopefully another good season for all of us and we can stay up again as well.

 

"I've been here a long time and Wolves is certainly a special club to me.

 

"I've come through the ranks and know a lot of people here and really enjoy it.

 

"There have been some fantastic people who have left the club but also plenty of fantastic people still here.

 

"Bobby Mimms was a key man for me in my development and it was sad when he left but Pat Mountain has come in and done a great job with all of us.

 

"If I wasn't happy I wouldn't be signing here and I'm delighted to have committed my future to the club."

 

Of those 105 appearances in senior club colours, only 13 came last season as Wolves registered top flight survival for the first time in Hennessey's lifetime.

 

Those 13 all came at the start of the campaign, before he was replaced by the experience of Marcus Hahnemann as the boss made changes after heavy defeats at the hands of Arsenal and Chelsea.

 

 

The rest is history - as Hahnemann impressed - but the other 'H' is keen to both learn from the American and fight to take his spot among a close - but competitive - goalkeeping unit at Molineux.

 

"I have played a fair few games for Wolves," Hennessey explains.

 

"Last season I only played 13 but I still want the best for Marcus and want him to do well when he plays.

 

"It's the keepers union and we all stick together and want whoever is playing to do well.

 

"You never know what's around the corner in football and nobody knows what will happen next season.

 

"There are some really good goalkeepers here and so competition for places is always going to be tough.

 

"Marcus, Carl (Ikeme) and Matt (Murray) are all great keepers.

 

"We all want to play but we all want the best for whoever does play."

 

Hennessey continues:  "It's up to the gaffer and how well we train and play when we're given the chance.

 

"The rest of us have to do what we can and fight for the shirt.

 

"There are a lot of good keepers here and only one shirt but we'll all just keep plugging away and giving our best.

 

"I'll keep trying and hopefully I will continue to improve.

 

"There are always parts of your game you can improve on and I'm no different to any other player in that respect."