Lewis Ferrell has thanked his former college tutors for helping him to land a one-year professional deal with Brentford.

The Luton-born youngster was a star pupil at North Hertfordshire College, where he fared well academically and won the sports academy student of the year award for 2008-09.

He said: “The college has great links with football, which helped me to complete by dream of becoming a professional footballer.

“The tutors saw my abilities in ways that I didn’t and helped me to open my eyes to what I could achieve.

“Through my training with the college I feel I have the opportunity to progress into other fields later in my career.”

College principal Fintan Donohue said: “The college has so many components that many people find it difficult to recognise our ability to help individuals achieve their potential in both academic and occupational matters.

“Every so often we realise that goal with very special and gifted people like Lewis.”