Luke Rawlings says a first professional contract is only the beginning of his journey and the hard work must continue if he’s to earn more opportunities.
The 17-year-old signed professional terms last week, having represented both the under-18s and under-21s this season, and featured for James Collins’ side as they drew their campaign to a close in the play-offs against Chelsea on Saturday evening.
For Rawlings, the deal concludes a season which began training with the first-team. The midfielder featured on pre-season trips to both Spain and the United States, and he says those experiences made the standards he needs to hit clear.
On his first professional contract
“It’s a huge moment for me, and I’m really grateful to the club for giving me many opportunities and looking after me since I started here. Hopefully, this is the first one, and hopefully if I keep working hard and keep putting in the work, there’ll be a lot more to come.”
Congratulations to Luke Rawlings on signing your first professional contract at the club ✍️
— Wolves Academy (@WolvesAcademy) April 23, 2025
On working with the first-team
“It’s a huge part of the experience. I think I can learn a lot from these players, and obviously training with them week in, week out, day in, day out in pre-season was a huge part of why I have progressed a lot. Not only on the pitch, but off the pitch they’re class, and how they conduct themselves is also a huge part of that.”
On maintaining his consistency
“I’ll keep working. I’m going to keep myself grounded and just keep working hard. That’s the main thing. I haven’t made it yet, it’s only the beginning, and if I keep performing and keep the concentration, then I’ll hopefully progress into the first-team.”
