Steve says youngster will have to work ten times harder.

Steve Davis says that the hard work really starts now for the five young players the club have handed professional contracts to this summer. Youth team players Toby Mullarkey, Joe Kearns, Joe Howell, Andre Brown and Liam O’Neill all signed professional recently after progressing through the club’s famed Academy but boss Steve Davis says they will have to work hard to force their way into his first team plans.

Davis handed the likes of George Cooper, James Jones, Callum Saunders and James Baillie their senior debuts last season but he stresses that they earned their reward for the hard work and improvement they showed.

Steve told crewealex.net: “The players we have signed as first year professional have to work ten times harder now.

“It is good that they have all signed and in a way it is the start of their careers. They have worked hard to get to this stage now and become first year professionals but they have to work even harder to progress.

“Although we gave the four young lads their debuts last season, it doesn’t mean that another four or five will automatically do the same next time. They have work hard and earn it.

“We will make it plain to them how difficult it is to make it and how they have to make the most of this opportunity.”