Friday 11 January 2019 15:37, UK
Burton Albion duo Lucas Akins and Marcus Harness have signed new long-term deals with the club.
Akins has put pen to paper on a two-and-a-half-year deal keeping him at the club until June 2021, while Harness has signed a one-and-a-half-year contract expiring in June 2020.
Brewers manager Nigel Clough admitted their League Cup exploits, which got the club into their first semi-final against holders Manchester City, were pivotal in securing a new deal for Akins, who was crowned Player of the Year by Burton fans and players last season.
"I'm not sure we would have been able to keep him without the Carabao Cup run," said Clough. "But the chairman has agreed to invest a little bit of that money in securing him.
"He has been as responsible as anyone for the success the club has had in the last five years. He will go down as one of the best signings this club has ever made and character-wise you couldn't ask for better."
The 29-year-old striker said extending his stay at the Pirelli Stadium was an easy decision.
"It's a good day for myself and hopefully the club as well," he said. "I'm really happy and I'm enjoying my football.
"I'm thankful to the manager, the coaching staff, the players and the chairman for giving me the opportunity to extend my stay and it wasn't a hard decision at all.
"The fans have been really good to me - I really enjoy playing in front of them and really appreciate the support they give me and all the boys as well. It's a really special place."
Meanwhile, academy graduate Marcus Harness guaranteed a contract extension with an impressive display against Rochdale on Saturday, scoring three and assisting one.
"This has been going on for a few weeks trying to sort him a new deal, not just since Rochdale," said Clough. "He's been hard to judge as he hasn't had a run before.
"He has now had a run in the team and he has shown more than enough to suggest he can make the position his own in the future."
Harness said: "I'm delighted. I believe it has been coming for a long time and it's finally happening, and my team-mates have been great helping me to develop. The manager has given me a chance and now it's down to me to take it."
Albion have also confirmed that Elliot Hodge and Dimitar Evtimov are on their way out of the club as their contracts expire this month.
