Three of Cambridge United's second year scholars have earned professional contracts with the club.

The three are midfielder Sam Ives, who has already made two substitute appearances for the first team this season, leading scorer Adam Marriott, and winger Jordan Patrick.

United's Director of Youth Football, Jez George, was thrilled to share the news with cambridgeunited.com and spoke about each of the lads, who will be in action at the Trade Recruitment Stadium for high-flying CRC this afternoon against Wivenhoe Town

"With these three lads, it's now nine players who have signed pro contracts in our three years at the club, and they're all quite local lads too, which is nice for the club," he said.

"Sam Ives is a central midfielder who lives in Shelford and was spotted on a Football in the Community course when he was eleven and playing for ETS Strikers. He joined us at Cambridge City and came with us when we moved to United in 2006, and he's made fantastic progress over the last year, with a couple of first team appearances too.

"He's performed consistently well throughout the season, he runs all day and he's good technically with quick feet and a good temperament."

Moving on to Jordan Patrick, who also made the switch with Jez's youth development team from City to United in 2006, he said, "Jordan joined us from Mildenhall Town at the age of eleven, and although we call him 'JP' now his nickname then was 'Velcro' because the ball was stuck to his foot all the time!

"He's a naturally right-sided winger but his left foot has improved loads and he has played on both sides for us. He has electric pace to beat people and he can score and create goals, and he has lots of potential."

Of Adam Marriott, who has scored over 20 goals in the Ridgeons League this season, he said, "Maz is from Brandon and I signed him at City when he was released by Norwich City at 14. He was a central midfielder then but we've played him further forward and his goals speak volumes this year alone.

"20-plus goals is a fantastic achievement and they're all from open play - if he takes a penalty he misses! But he's a bit of a free kick expert now and you'll never see a better free kick than the winner he scored at Haverhill over Christmas.

"He's always had loads of talent and great feet and the ability to beat people and score and create goals, but he's added workrate to his game this season. He's worked really hard and he fully deserves his contract."

Jez is keen to stress that the lads can't take their foot off the gas now they have earned their first pro contracts and this is just the next stage in their careers: "The lads will train primarily with the first team from pre-season onwards, and they'll do some extra sessions as a development group of younger professionals and the scholars that are pushing on a bit.

"This is part of the new structure that George (Rolls) and I are trying to put in place, and they will do a couple of extra sessions each week to make sure that their individual development isn't overlooked. It's a crucial time between the of 18 and 20 because we think they still have so much learning to do.

"That's not to say that the first team don't do that, but the first team environment is geared to winning on Saturday and sometimes you have to make sure that the younger players still get the individual work that they need to develop as players," he explained.

"This is a long-term thing; they're not being signed because we think they're ready to go into the first team. They're being signed because we think - as does the first team manager - that they've got the potential to play in the first team at some point in the future.  It's our job to keep developing them so they get into the first team and potentially go even higher than that.

"This structure means that next season they will still be able to play games for CRC," Jez added. "Obviously we want them to push to get in the first team, but it's important that they're still playing football if they're not playing regular first team football, so their long-term development continues.

"These three lads have all worked really hard and they fully deserve the contracts that they've earned, but it's even more important that they push on now. There's still lots of work to do and lots of improvement, and it's our job and their job to focus on that and make sure this the first of many contracts rather than sit back and think they've arrived.

"It's crucial that they push on and we'll keep on emphasising that, as will the first team manager and our coach Nolan Keeley. The structure in place now is better for them because they will play the right amount of football next year while they're training with the first team and doing extra individual work as well, but it's down to them to maintain the right attitude and hard work that they've put in so far.

"They've been fantastic all season and they've been three of the mainstays of the team that have done so well in the Ridgeons League and the cup competitions, but they have to kick on now."

Don't forget that although the first team don't play until Monday, you can get your football fix by supporting CRC at home on Saturday (3pm). The bar will be open and you can park for free behind the Main Stand, accessed via Cut Throat Lane. Admission is £5 for adults, £2 for concessions.

Youth Development are running a series of fundraising auctions and signed shirts from Liverpool, Manchester United, Everton and Chelsea will be appearing in the online auctions between now and the end of the season. In the next couple of weeks you will also be able to bid for signed shirts from a host of other Premiership clubs including West Bromwich Albion, Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur, Fulham and West Ham.

On auction at present is a match-worn and signed shirt from former U's star and current Hull City captain Ian Ashbee, who is donating his shirt in support of the fundraising effort. Click here to visit the items on eBay and place your bids, and look out for more exciting auctions during the coming days and weeks.

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