Hatters offer scholarship deals to eight U16s

Michael Shamola, Jack James, Ciaren Jones, Joe Mead, Ciaran Gordon-Stearn, Scott Belgrove, Kitan Sorunke and Arthur Read will all begin their two-year apprenticeship with Paul Driver in the summer after completing their GSCEs.

Shamola is a striker who scored on his youth team debut against Southend and has been involved in the FA Youth Cup ties, while James, a right back, made his U18s debut in October.

Jones, from Lealands High School is a left-side centre half, with Mead, another centre defender, who can also play full-back or defensive central midfield.

Goalkeeper Ciaren Gordon-Stearn signed for Luton following his release from Ipswich and kept a clean sheet on his U18s debut against MK Dons in November, while striker Scott Belgrove also made his youth team debut last month.

Sorunke is a midfielder or right winger, who was called up to a Nigerian U15-17 training camp in the summer, with Read a left winger and can play in the middle, while he made his U18s debut against Orient in October.

Town academy and development manager Andy Awford said: “It is a great achievement for them individually as they have climbed another small rung on the treacherous and difficult ladder towards their overall aim of becoming first team players.

“There’s still a long way to go, but we will continue to nurture our young talent and hopefully see some of them on the hallowed turf in a few years’ time.”