Boss Mick McCarthy says he’s delighted to have been able to offer five of this season’s academy second-year scholars professional contracts, but doesn’t expect any of them to break into the first team immediately.
Left-back David October (pictured), from Cambridge, who has skippered Russell Osman's U18s this season, is amongst the quintet, who have all been offered one-year deals.
Striker Jack Marriott, from Kettering, and Ipswich-born fellow frontman Tom Winter, who has been at the club since he was eight, have been regular scorers for the U18s this season.
Central midfielder Jonny Leddy, from Cavan, has won caps with the Republic of Ireland at U16, U17 and U18 levels, while winger Mark Timlin, from Buncrana, has previously played for Ireland's U16s.
McCarthy said: "They’re all really good young footballers who go about their job in the right fashion. I think they’ll make good professionals because they all train well, they’ve all got ability, but there’s none of them nailed on for my money to be pros straight away and be in the team.
"It’s an opportunity for them to have another year at a place they’ve been nurtured, they’ll get loved and coached and worked with and hopefully we can get them in the team.
"They’re all different positions but at similar positions in their careers, in their lives. It’s an opportunity for them to progress.”
But he warns that nothing should be taken for granted with players at this stage of their progression: "There’s nothing gilt-edged, not at that age. It’s just nice that we’ve got five that we can give an opportunity to and it’s nice that they can see things that way.
"They’re at a club where they’ve been nurtured for a long time. We want to continue to coach them and work with them and get them, hopefully, in and around the first team.
"It’s never guaranteed, but we’ve got a good academy, Bryan Klug runs it well, and we’d like to get someone in the first team. That’s the first step for them.”
The Blues boss says none of the five are likely to make that breakthrough before the end of this campaign: "We’re not going to see them this season. The squad we have of about 20 players are the ones who are going to see the season out.”