Chief executive Derek Bowden has confirmed that Town have signed Irish goalkeeper Ian McLoughlin on a professional contract, as first revealed by TWTD last month. Bowden has also confirmed that Northern Irish U16 and U17 international Josh Carson has signed academy forms with the club.

Keeper McLoughlin, 17, recently played in the reserves friendly against West Ham and was on the bench for this evening's abandoned Fa Youth Cup tie against Watford.

Midfielder or striker Carson, who TWTD first revealed had agreed to join the Blues a fortnight ago, played for the Town academy at the Galway Cup last summer and won the Player of the Tournament award.

Bowden told TWTD: "McLoughlin has a two-year pro deal, while Carson has an academy contract.

”We regularly travel to the Republic of Ireland, and Northern Ireland as well, and McLoughlin is someone we've scouted out there. We think he's got a very good opportunity.”

Although he has signed a two-year professional contract, McLoughlin is considered an academy player rather than a member of the first team squad at the present time, the deal having been signed in order to allow him to join the club outside the normal time period for recruiting players on academy terms.

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