Four Oldham Athletic second year youth scholars have been offered professional contracts today.
Goalkeeper Chris Renshaw, full back Kallum Mantack, central defender Jamie Stott and midfielder Lee Knight have all been offered a deal for next season.Unfortunately, Rahul Parmer, Alex Read, Rio Murray and Jake Hargreaves will not be offered a contract at the end of their scholarship with the club.
Speaking about the decisions, youth team boss Tony Philliskirk said: “In what is always a very difficult process, we would like to congratulate the lads who have reached the next step on the ladder in their progression as a professional footballer.
“At the same time, it is with a heavy heart that we have had to tell the others that they are not being offered a contract here at Oldham Athletic.
“However, we would like to stress that this is not the end of the road for them and we are actively working on exit strategies with these boys to see how we can help them going forward.
“The boys that have been taken on know that the next stage of their development starts now. They will have to work extremely hard and will go from the youth team environment to be training with the senior players in pre-season, so they have to make sure they are both physically and mentally prepared for when that time comes.
“The whole group have been a pleasure to work with and the fact that they have won two major trophies in their two years as apprentices says a lot about them. They have set the benchmark that our current first years and new intake must aim to replicate both on and off the pitch.
“Basically, I have loved working with them all and they should be immensely proud of their achievements over these two years.”