Midfielder on signing a new deal
Tom Beere says he is determined to take the next major step in his football career and become a regular first-team player after signing a new deal at AFC Wimbledon.
The 20-year-old midfielder thanked the club’s academy staff and Neal Ardley for putting him on the road to the first-team, but he is refusing to rest on his laurels after making 13 appearances in a breakthrough season.
Beere, who joined the Dons as a 15-year-old after having unsuccessful trials at Millwall, told Dons Player: “I want to say thank you to everyone for their support and trust in me. The manager has shown his faith in me by offering a contract to be a part of his plans. When I came on trial here and signed for the club everyone made me feel welcome. All the coaching staff, including Mark Robinson, made me feel at home when I first joined.
“If I had a video to show people of when I first came here as a 15-year-old, they would understand how much I have developed as a man off the pitch as well as on it. When I was a scholar it included going to college and that helped me grow up a lot. As a footballer now I understand the game better, I have improved tactically, and I am a lot stronger now to cope with the demands of League 2 football.”
The picture above shows Beere celebrating after his first-team debut when the Dons beat Southend in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, a match he scored a penalty in during the shoot-out.
It is now just over two years since Beere first appeared in an AFC Wimbledon first-team squad at Accrington Stanley and the management team have since devised a programme to boost his strength. An impressive substitute appearance against Portsmouth on Saturday showed how far he has progressed, but he is eager to continue his upward momentum.
“I have increased my muscle mass and lost body fat to help me to cope physically at this level,” added Beere. “This season has been good, but it could have been better if I had not had injuries. I could have made more first-team appearances and got a goal by now!
“I want to try and get a regular place in the first-team, but I know that is not guaranteed. For next season, I will have to come back fit and strong and hopefully put my stamp on the first-team squad.”
The full video interview with Tom Beere is now on Dons Player.