A BELFAIRS Academy teacher has spoken of his pride at seeing former student Alfie Lewis sign his first professional contract with West Ham United.

Lewis, 17, has penned a three-year deal with the Premier League club.

Paul Schmid, a college leader at Belfairs Academy, admitted that he was confident that Lewis would go into professional football after seeing his talent first-hand.

Schmid said: “I have been here for 10 years now and he is by far the best footballer I have come across here.

“I taught him for three years before he left in Year 9 to get taught at West Ham and he was at another school while he was coming through there.

“To get a professional contract at a Premier League club is obviously a massive achievement and it is also a big achievement for the school.”

Lewis joined the east London club at the age of eight.

The central midfielder will be looking to follow in the footsteps of ex-St Thomas More High School for Boys student Josh Cullen, who has also come through the ranks at West Ham.

Cullen impressed on a season-long loan with League One side Bradford City last season, which saw him feature in the play-off final defeat to Millwall and scoop four gongs at the Bantams’ player of the year awards.

The Westcliff-born Cullen, 21, also started for the Hammers in last summer’s London Stadium curtain-raiser against Italian champions and UEFA Champions League finalists Juventus.

West Ham’s academy director Terry Westley has worked closely with Cullen and Lewis as they have worked their way through the ranks.

And he thinks Lewis has a bright future ahead of him.

Westley said: “He’s a boy we think a lot of, and he’s gifted on the ball – he still has an awful lot to come.

“It’s not like he’s an early developer – he has plenty more development in him and he deserves his professional contract.

“Slaven [Bilic] has brought him over for training sometimes and he was with the under-23 group last season. You can see that progression.

“This season, with Domingos Quina and Nathan Trott signing pro deals, and with Reece Burke and Reece Oxford up there, Alfie follows in that tradition of us giving contracts over a longer period of time so we have a chance to develop him.”