ACADEMY: Really rewarding

"We're delighted to see both lads get contracts," he said. "They've been with the club since they were nine or ten so a lot of time has been spent with them. It's really rewarding for all of us to see them get a professional contract. 

"I know they're both thrilled to have been given the contracts and I'm sure they'll make sure they come back ready to impress in pre season. 

"They'll need to show the manager that they're capable of doing a job for him and I know they'll be doing everything they can to make sure they can show him that." 

"I think it gives the lads who are in the academy now a real boost," he commented. "To see Dave [Symington], Brad [Potts] and Mark [Gillespie] in the first team and Patrick [Brough] and Kyle [Dempsey] getting contracts shows them all that if they work hard enough they will be given a chance. 

"All of those lads are local players who had been with us for a while before they got their professional deals so it shows that there is a pathway for all of them if they can show the potential."

"Most of the coaches in the academy will have worked with Patrick and Kyle at some stage so it's a bit of a pat on the back for them as well," he said. "I know all of the coaches, even from under 9 level, watch out for the lads who make it so it has given them a buzz as well. 

"With our philosophy of 1 to 9 in ten it's important for us to get players through every year and we've made a good start to that with two coming through. We've got another six who will be joining the youth team who have been through the academy so things are looking promising. 

"We all want Patrick and Kyle to come in and kick on during pre season then push on. I'll be watching them do that and I'm sure the rest of the academy coaches will be doing the same."