Town have officially welcomed eight young players into the Academy set-up. The boys, including England U16 international Dean Bowditch, and their families were given guided tours of Town's facilities and met with David Sheepshanks, George Burley and Academy director Bryan Klug.

Bowditch, 15, has elected to stay with Town despite reported interest from Manchester United earlier in the season.

He is a striker whose brother Ben is a promising member of the Spurs Academy and is a team-mate of Darren Bent at England U19 level.

Also officially joining the club are Scott Barron, a 16-year-old left-sided midfielder from Huntingdon, Daniel Flack, 16, a determined midfielder, also from Huntingdon, Liam Manning, a 16-year-old right-back from Bungay and Scott Mitchell another 16-year-old midfielder hailing from Littleport near Ely.

Dubliner Gerard Nash, 15 and a midfielder, has also joined after Town fought off competition from other clubs as well as Henry Soblowski, 16, from Falkirk, a winger with two good feet and 15-year-old Craig Reid, a striker who was released by Coventry recently and was picked up by Town after playing in exit trials.

Malcolm Moore, the Academy's recruitment officer, says the players will face big changes on joining the Academy: "It's a massive culture shock for these young men. Suddenly they are involved in the game all of the time.

"They will eat drink and sleep football throughout their time with us, at the same time learning to cope away from their families."

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