Academy director Bryan Klug is delighted to see Teddy Bishop and Matt Clarke making an impression in the first team this season.
Bishop, 18, who completed his scholarship last summer, is now a regular member of Mick McCarthy’s first team having made eight starts and six sub appearances, scoring one goal.
Second-year scholar Clarke, also 18, made his senior debut in the Capital One Cup tie at Crawley the same night as Bishop but is yet to add to that appearance, despite having been in the matchday 18 on a number of occasions.
Both signed professional contracts until June 2016 with an option for a further season earlier in September.
"Teddy was in our system for a long time, so we knew he was a talented player,” Klug said.
"He’s now maturing and the manager and Terry have improved him so much and given him his chance, it’s brilliant to see.
"Matt hasn’t played U18 football this year, he’s trained all the time with the first team and his improvement is also fantastic to see.”
Cambridge-born Bishop has been with the Blues since the U8s, and Barham-based former Claydon High School pupil Clarke first played with the U7s and Klug says it’s particularly rewarding to see players develop through to the first team having been recruited when so young.
"I think it is a bit more satisfying because it will have involved so many people. It’s a credit to a lot of people along the way, but that’s what we’re supposed to do.
"But it doesn’t matter if we get them from Ireland or wherever as long as they make the first team, that’s what it’s all about.”
Regarding players from Ireland, the Blues continue to wait for 17-year-old Adam McDonnell to be given the clearance to play following his move from Shelbourne in the summer. The midfielder will now have to wait until the new year to get the go ahead to play in competitive matches.
"FIFA are making it very complicated, far more complicated than it needs to be,” Klug added. "We can’t do anything about that, it’s out of our hands really. It’s just a case of waiting, there’s nothing we can do.
"He’s a good player, he’s a very good player. We’ve got some really good players in the system now.”
McDonnell could win his second Republic of Ireland U18 cap this afternoon when his side face Portugal in Bonitos in the second of two friendlies having lost the first 2-0.