WYCOMBE WANDERERS manager Gareth Ainsworth has delivered the news that Chairboys fans have been hoping to hear – Scott Kashket has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract.

The 20-year-old striker has been a revelation since arriving on a short-term deal in August, scoring nine times in nine appearances including a hat-trick in the 5-0 FA Cup triumph at Chesterfield.

Kashket’s contract was due to expire on December 31 but he has now signed until 2019.

Ainsworth said: “We gave Scott the opportunity to prove himself by giving him a deal until Christmas, and to say he has exceeded our expectations is an understatement. It was important for us not to miss out on the chance to extend his stay here as I’m sure there will be a lot of interest in him, and we have pushed really hard to get this deal done.

“Scott has applied himself superbly and grabbed his opportunity with both hands. The fans have seen what he’s all about – he’s a nightmare for defenders to deal with, he can score goals out of nothing and he’s a popular lad as well.

“We are building something special here and of course we want to keep our best players. We have a fantastic initiative here – the 500 Club – where fans have contributed money to boost our playing budget, and the funds received so far have allowed us to commit to signing Scott.

“There is more work to be done in January to extend contracts of other players and we’re asking the fans to please keep contributing because you are making a real positive difference to our chances of achieving something this season.”