Jordan signs

JORDAN Bentley is eager to make up for lost time after signing a new deal with his “dream club”.

The 19 year-old central defender endured an unfortunate first professional season at Home Park in 2017-18 but is determined to come back stronger for the experience.

After a largely unproductive loan to Vanarama National League Sutton United in the first half of the campaign, Jordan returned to Home Park and suffered a broken leg in “a massive freak accident” on the training ground, when he clashed with goalkeeper Remi Matthews.

Jordan said: “I’ve supported this club since I was a little kid and I am playing for my dream club. It was a tough season for me last year but I’m looking forward to getting back, fit and ready to go, and having a good season.

“The loan wasn’t as a successful as I thought it would be but I came back and was doing well – I was getting feedback from the gaffer that I had been doing better than I had been – but then it came to January and I broke my leg.”

The younger brother of ex-Pilgrim Aaron Bentley, Jordan joined the Argyle Academy aged 13 and progressed through the ranks as a promising centre-back before winning a two-year apprenticeship in 2015.

He made his debut as a substitute on the final Saturday of the 2015-16 season, a week after his 17th birthday, and after a first starting appearance in the Checkatrade Trophy at Swansea City, was rewarded with his first professional contract in June 2017.

Memories of the moment that ended his participation in his debut season are still fresh, as is the support that he received from the Pilgrims during his absence.

“For some reason, I was playing right-back,” he said. “I was sent through, got forward and got a cross in, and me and Remi came together.

“It was no-one’s fault. We could do it another 10,000 times and the same thing would happen about three times. It was just one of those things, a massive freak accident.

“The club has been great; the gaffer has been great; now I am looking forward to repaying the faith.”

“It was definitely a blow but I am looking forward to putting that right; getting back in there and giving 100%; and trying to push for a first-team place.”