The door to the first team is open, stated manager Frank Lampard, after full back Jayden Bogle penned a new four-year contract with the club today.


The youngster’s rise through the ranks has been impressive. After signing for the club aged 15 from Swindon Town, it has taken him two-and-a-half years to make his way into the first team set up.

It’s not been an easy ride, however, for Bogle. He has spent hours on the training ground, working hard and mastering his game in a bid to be recognised.

That opportunity came when he was included in the club’s pre-season training camp to Tenerife and the 18-year-old grabbed his chance to impress with both hands.

Bogle caught his manager’s eye and made his competitive debut against Oldham Athletic in the first round of the Carabao Cup last month, whilst four days later, he was handed his league debut against Millwall.

Performances have been at a consistently high standard since his introduction and the youngster was rewarded with a fresh deal which sees him contracted until 2022.

Lampard has enjoyed watching the progress of Bogle and wants other players in the academy to use him as an example.

“The door is open and the path is there. If I think you work hard, like Bogle has done, performed, showed great professionalism, showed great quality then I will, certainly as a manager, give people a chance,” the manager told RamsTV.

“People only see the mature performances from him at the minute, and they’ve been very good, but he has been an absolute joy to coach and manage. From day one, he showed me he was good enough in training.

“I put him in against Oldham and he showed it again in a proper match and he’s done it since then. He turned 18 years of age in pre-season and he’s been brilliant and deserves his new contract.

“We should be delighted to have him at the club and he is an advert for the academy. He’s done the hard work and he’s an advert for younger players that feel the club coming through and I’m delighted we have tied him down.”

He added: “I’m sure the fans love it, too. The fans love seeing kids come through the academy. I know the owner likes seeing young players come through the academy, we all do, so Jayden is a real shining light at the minute and long may that continue with his performances.”