Birmingham City confirmed yesterday that new deals have been offered to eight second-year scholars. Four will be offered one year professional deals while the other four will be offered third year scholar terms. With Reece Brown and Demarai Gray already signed up it represents 100% retention of the age group.

Goalkeepers Connal Trueman and Callum Preston along with winger Viv Solomon-Otabor and defender Nathaniel Kelly have all been offered pro deals. Preston is currently on work experience at Worcester City of the Skrill North, making his debut in the weekend defeat to North Ferriby United.  Solomon-Otabor, who is on loan at fellow Skrill North side Oxford City made a lively debut against Boston United and is seen by his new boss as a bright prospect.

Republic of Ireland u19 full back Bobby Moseley, right back Josh Dacres-Cogley, midfielder Reece Webb and striker George McGee have been offered third year scholarship deals which would see them retained by the club but not on professional terms.

It’s a credit to the Wast Hills academy that more players are now being retained by the club and with Amari’i Bell being the eleventh academy graduate to make his debut under Lee Clark it shows that there could be a bright future for the team in its own youth ranks. That being said, the onus is now on all the young players offered deals to push on and to break into the first team properly next year as both Brown and Gray did this year. As much as making a professional debut is important it’s equally important for a young player to maintain consistent enough high standards to remain in the team.

Tags: Bobby Moseley, Callum Preston, Connal Trueman, Demarai Gray, George McGee, Josh Dacres-Cogley, Nathaniel Kelly, Reece Brown, Reece Webb, Viv Solomon-Otabor