Coming off excellent performances with England, Tottenham winger Andros Townsend has signed a new four-year deal with the Premier League club.
The 22-year-old has come to prominence both on and off the field recently and his fine start to the Barclays Premier League season saw him called up by England for their two vital World Cup qualifiers.
Townsend, who scored in the 4-1 win over Montenegro in World Cup qualifying and starred against Poland, returned to Tottenham this season after a loan spell at Queens Park Rangers. Tottenham stated on their website: "We are delighted to announce that Andros Townsend has signed a new four-year contract with the club."
We delighted to announce that Andros Townsend has signed a new four-year contract with the Club #THFC pic.twitter.com/ggBd3UfZI1
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) October 18, 2013
Delighted to have signed a new contract with spurs! The perfect end to the perfect week!! Now let's get 3points on Sunday! #coys #2018
— andros townsend (@andros_townsend) October 18, 2013
While his on-field contribution has seen him take centre stage, Townsend has also found himself caught up in the row over Roy Hodgson's halftime joke during the match against Poland. Hodgson made a quip about a monkey in space to illustrate why his players should give the ball to Townsend but was forced to apologise on Thursday after claims it could be considered racist.
Townsend, whose father Troy is the mentoring manager for anti-racism group Kick It Out, wrote on Twitter: "I don't know what all this fuss is about. No offense was meant and none was taken! It's not even news worthy!"
It did, though, overshadow England's qualification and continues to rumble on with the Football Association expressing its full support for Hodgson. Troy Townsend admitted there had been a spectrum of emotions, telling Sky Sports News: "The goal on Friday night gave us an amazing feeling and I thought he was absolutely fantastic in the hotbed of Tuesday.
Townsend's father added: "It's hard to put into words how we felt at the time and we're immensely proud of him. The nation were quite rightly proud of their side, two important games, we reached our goal of the World Cup but unfortunately there was no time to enjoy that feeling...before the very next day we are talking about something a little bit different.
"There's disappointment. It's a nightmare. It's been difficult for us at Kick if Out. I'm not sure people fully understand our role. We have an obligation to report incidents that happen and we've done that regardless of whether it's international or grass-roots level. It's particularly difficult for me having involvement on both sides. We should be concentrating on the glories of both games."
Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas has no doubt Townsend will be able to shoulder the pressure of being England's next big thing.
The player's place in the Tottenham squad was in doubt at the start of the season but now he is seen as England's brightest emerging star. Jack Wilshere was afforded that tag after he burst on to the scene with Arsenal a couple of years ago while players like David Bentley have crashed and burned under the weight of expectation.
Villas-Boas knows Townsend's every move will be scrutinised over the next seven months in the build-up to the World Cup, but he is sure the player will be able to cope.
"That is part of growing up as a player," the Tottenham manager said. "I would suppose that wouldn't divert his attention too much. I expect him to be the same player. There are going to be more people worried about him, he will be more in the public eye and they will demand performances from him and I expect him to respond.
