Local boys handed Swansea City apprenticeships

Nine local boys have taken the next step to becoming full-time professional footballers by being handed apprenticeships with Swansea City.

The youngsters, who have been registered as Academy members since ages varying between five and 16, will join up with Cameron Toshack's Under-18s squad for next season.

And the U18s coach is excited to begin working with the next crop of burgeoning talents.

"We're really looking forward to it," said Toshack. "A lot of the boys have come through the football club from a young age, so they know the club very well and the expectations we have here.

"It's a challenge to come from a school environment, where they only train in the evenings, to a professional environment where they are in every day. But I'm sure the boys we have selected are the best from around the area.

"The boys have examples like Ben Davies and, in the past, Joe Allen to look up to as players who progressed through the Academy to the first-team.

"It's important the boys know that there is a pathway through to the first-team if they have the ability and the will to work hard."

The nine players to have signed with club are: (back - left-to-right) Jordan Islip, Lewis Thomas, Joe Rodon, Tom Dyson, Brandon Griffiths; (front - left-to-right) Ashleigh Harries, Jack Evans, Aaron Lewis, Ben Jones.