Bristol City's class of 2023 have been unveiled with six academy graduates signing professional contracts with the club on Friday.
Elijah Morrison and Olly Thomas are the names who will be most familiar to fans having sat on the bench for the FA Cup clash against Manchester City in February. Morrison was also in the squad for the Carabao Cup tie against Lincoln City in November
Left-sided forward Morrison has penned a two-and-a-half-year deal, while fellow attacker Thomas has signed for two years.
Goalkeeper Josey Casa-Grande and forwards Kai Churchley and Marley Rose have all agreed to terms until June 2025, while striker Callum Hutton has signed for one year.
Technical director Brian Tinnion shared his pride as the six prospects took a step closer to realising their dream of representing City's first team. He said: “Congratulations to the six lads for securing contracts. They and the Academy staff have worked hard to get them to this place. Now the challenge for those players is to kick on and start knocking on the first door for that next opportunity.”
The Robins' academy has provided a conveyor belt of players to the first team in recent seasons, with Tommy Conway, Sam Bell and Cam Pring just a few of the locally-developed lads who have become big parts of Nigel Pearson's squad.
The latest homegrown player to debut was Omar Taylor-Clarke in the defeat to Swansea City on Sunday, and academy players have accounted for 232 combined appearances for Pearson's side this season.
Morrison, Rose and Thomas are all Bristol-born and joined the club at under-16s level. Churchley, from Cheltenham, joined at the same time and his brother, Ronnie, plays in the under-14s.
Hutton, born in London and raised in Wales, joined City in the under-7s. Casa-Granda is also from the other side of the Severn Bridge, joining the Robins at under-11s level.
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