Young midfielder Ioannides named Luton Town's 2024/25 Scholar of the Year

Luton Town youngster Zach Ioannides has received the Hatters’ 2024/25 Scholar of the Year award.

The 18-year-old midfielder recently completed an excellent campaign both personally and for the team, as he was a regular in Joe Deeney’s U18s side, involved in the U21s too, also going on to earning a professional contract at Kenilworth Road. Honoured at last week’s Premier League Academy Awards evening at Wembley, Ioannides’s academic achievements equalled his displays in the academy, where he secured distinction grades in both his Sporting Excellence Professional (SEP) programme and his BTEC qualification, while he is now sitting his A-Level maths exam.

Academy manager Paul Benson said: “Zach embodies everything we look for in a scholar at our club. His work ethic is admirable. Managing to juggle A-Levels alongside a hectic training schedule requires discipline, organisation and commitment – all traits that Zach has shown in abundance. It hasn't always been plain sailing for Zach this season, but he has shown a mature attitude and great resilience in moments that could have unsettled him and blown him off course.

“His influence now stretches outside his own circle, and it's been pleasing to see him starting to affect behaviours across the group, helping to drive and raise standards among his peers. I took great pleasure in being able to nominate Zach for scholar of the year, a well-deserved moment of recognition for an outstanding year, on and off the pitch.”

U18s head coach Deeney added: “Zach is a deserving recipient of this year’s Scholar of the Year award. He epitomises the qualities and standards expected of a young professional, both on and off the pitch. Zach has balanced the intense demands of an aspiring football career with over 20 hours of education each week which is no easy feat. He has handled this dual commitment with maturity, discipline and exceptional time management.

"Throughout the season he has shown excellent consistency in performance and has demonstrated resilience in the face of adversity which are crucial qualities needed. His dedication to his development is clear in his outstanding achievement of playing over 3,500 competitive minutes in the Under-18s games programme.

"This is a testament to his physical preparation and relentless commitment to staying fit and available for selection. Humble, hard-working and ever-reliable, Zach has been a constant presence throughout the season. His professionalism also sets a benchmark for his team mates and reflects a bright future ahead.”