HFX Wanderers FC retained some local flavour on Tuesday by re-signing teenage midfielder Scott Firth.

The Halifax-born Firth, 18, made eight CPL appearances for the Wanderers in 2019 for a total of 287 minutes.

“It feels really good that the club has the confidence in me for a second year and I’m glad to get started next season with the team,” Firth said.

Firth signed with the club last Spring while still attending high school in the Halifax area. Previously, the teenager earned trials with Portuguese clubs Sporting CP and SL Benfica, as well as Toronto FC.

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“Scott is young and improving all the time and he is fantastic in the dressing room and he has shown a willingness to learn,” Wanderers coach Stephen Hart said.

“When he was introduced into games he did not look out of place and his pass percentage was extremely high, so he’s done quite well.”

Firth is the latest of a core group of signings to be confirmed by the Wanderers this off-season, alongside goalkeeper and fellow Haligonian Christian Oxner, and Trinidad and Tobago duo Akeem Garcia and Andre Rampersad.

HFX also used the No. 1 pick in the recent CPL-U SPORTS Draft to select left winger Cory Bent from Cape Breton University. Wanderers used their second-round pick on Jake Ruby, a right fullback from Trinity Western University.

Both prospects are expected to report to pre-season training camp next March when they’ll try to earn a spot on Wanderers’ roster for the 2020 CPL season.