The 19-year-old has put pen to paper on a new deal this afternoon, with the news capping a 12 month period in which he captained the Under 18 side to FA Youth Cup glory and moved into the City reserve squad.
Ben is now looking to step up over the course of the new deal, which runs until the end of June in 2011, and he told mcfc.co.uk, “I’m hoping to really kick on and improve in the next two years. It has been a really good 12 months for me with the Youth Cup and now this new contract. And to train alongside and against some of the players at Carrington now has been a great experience for me, so it’s been a good year.”
The move from youth to senior football is one that Ben has taken in his stride, and he has noticed the difference that playing or training against top-class, experienced players has made to him.
“There’s a definite difference, playing against someone like Robinho you can only improve. It’s a gradual thing, I don’t play against the first team every day, more when you are called over from the reserves, but you can see and tell the difference between the two.
I want to be there every day working with and against people like Robinho and Shaun Wright-Phillips to improve my game.
Ben Mee
“I played for the reserves a few times last year, but this year I can see the difference coming up against these kinds of players all the time. I have played against Dean Windass and Alan Smith this season, which taught me more about the physical side of the game - I ended up with a few more bruises than normal!”
