FOREST HISTORY · Historic event
Worrall and Yates extend futures
On this day in 2017 Joe Worrall and Ryan Yates sign new Forest contracts.
Nottingham Forest gave two academy graduates fresh backing when Joe Worrall and Ryan Yates signed new contracts with the club.
At the time, both players were still near the beginning of their senior journeys. Worrall had started to push into the first-team picture, while Yates was developing through loans and age-group football as he tried to turn promise into a lasting Forest career.
The contracts became more interesting because of what followed. Worrall developed into a regular centre-back, later captained Forest in the 2022 Championship play-off final, and helped the club return to the Premier League. Yates also became a major first-team figure, bringing energy and edge to midfield during the same promotion era.
Not every academy contract becomes part of a bigger story, but this one aged well for Forest. It tied down two players who would later be closely associated with one of the club’s most emotional modern seasons.
Sources
Nottingham Forest official site; 2016–17 season records
Forest timeline
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