Trio handed Wolves contracts
Saturday 27th March 2010, 12:45PM GMT.
Wolves have awarded professional contracts to three of their Academy scholars with a warning on their future.
Winger Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, central midfielder Nathan Rooney and left-back Jamie Reckord are the lucky 18-year-olds to step up to the professional ranks of the five-strong intake for this year.
Mendez-Laing has already made his first team debut in the Carling Cup tie against Swindon in August.
Telford-born playmaker Rooney, who captains the Academy team, has also skippered the reserves and appeared in the Republic of Ireland Under-19s team, while 6ft 1ins Reckord, from Pendeford, is an England Under-17 international.
Academy manager Kevin Thelwell said: “These boys have showed a maturity because the group as a whole is very young so with only five second years, they have had a big role to play in mentoring the younger lads.
“And the way they have taken that on as part of their work, as well as taking on challenges and handling that has impressed me.
“But there’s a word of caution – it’s only a start and they have a lot of progress to make if they are to make it through to the first team.
“With us being in the Premier League and looking like we’re going to stay there, people regard it as the best league in the world which makes it very hard for these boys to make the step up to regular senior football at that level.”
The other two second year scholars, Paul McCone and Jack Metcalf, have been released.
Wolves took a record seven scholars on this time last year – Johnny Dunleavy, Danny Batth, Scott Malone, David Davis, Kyle Bennett, Sam Winnall and Ashley Hemmings.
UK Sport
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