Dundee United are excited to confirm Academy graduate Owen Stirton has penned a contract extension which will see him remain with the Terrors until at least the summer of 2027.

After starting his footballing journey with hometown outfit Forfar Boys Club, the rangy frontman joined our U10s in June 2017, earmarked as a future star by his boyhood club. 

He continued to roar on the Terrors from the Tannadice terraces as his development progressed exponentially within the Academy and eventually became the first-ever player to graduate from our Baldragon Academy Performance School programme. 

Despite playing two years above his own age group, Stirton enjoyed a goal-laden 2022/23 campaign with the Young Terrors and inked his first professional deal at the end of the term.

Just three months after being afforded the opportunity to train with Jim Goodwin’s first team, the die-hard Arab lived out his lifelong dream by making his debut in an SPFL Trust Trophy battle with Dunfermline Athletic. 

International recognition closely followed with his Scotland U17s bow in European Qualifying, marking the occasion with a second-half strike against Kazakhstan.

Throughout our Championship-winning season, Stirton continued to balance his CAS Under-18s Elite League duties with senior action, ending 2023/24 with five appearances and a winners’ medal to his name, as well as a healthy return at U18 level.

Our number 42’s burgeoning, ‘Roy of the Rovers’ rise continued, capturing the imagination of supporters with a promising cameo against Stenhousemuir in the Premier Sports Cup, in which he came agonisingly close to opening his account by rattling the crossbar.

Good things come to those who wait, however, and Stirton would go one better with the visit of Ross County on William Hill Premiership Matchday 12. 

Entering the fray in stoppage time, the striker applied the finishing touch to Vicko Sevelj’s delicious delivery and sparked wild celebrations amongst his teammates, basking in the gravitas of the moment. A goosebump-inducing chorus of ‘Owen Stirton, he’s one of our own!’ reverberated around the stands, with Arabs hailing their new homegrown hero.

In writing his name on the scoresheet against the Staggies, Stirton became the first-ever Dundee United Academy graduate to do so on their Premiership debut, and the fifth youngest to net in a league match.

In the short term, his development will proceed at Links Park, with the 17-year-old heading out on his first loan spell away from Tannadice with League One outfit Montrose.

I'M READY TO KEEP WORKING HARD FOR MORE INCREDIBLE MOMENTS

After rubber-stamping his new deal, Stirton commented “I’m delighted to get this over the line, I always knew this was where my future lay as a die-hard United fan!

“The club have given me so many great opportunities to showcase my talents, and I’m pleased I’ve been able to make the most of them. It’s been the perfect place to develop my skills and I can’t thank all my coaches and teammates enough.

“It was a dream come true to score my first goal here at Tannadice, and I’m ready to keep working hard for more incredible moments like that.

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