FUTURE’S BRIGHT FOR FREEMAN

LEWES boss Darren Freeman says the club’s future is in good hands after signing two of his highly-rated youngsters on new deals.

Young midfielders James Hammonds and Ronnie Conlon have both extended their contracts with the Ryman South club until the end of next season, with an option to extend that further until 2018-19.

Hammond was one of Freeman’s first signings at the Dripping Pan in the autumn of 2016 and played a key part in the Rooks pushing for a play-off place, missing out in the end by six points.

Conlon, on the other hand, has now made 79 appearances for the first team having graduated from the club’s U18s and development club, scoring five goals last term.

And Freeman is delighted to have committed his young duo to new deals with higherranked clubs on the prowl.

He said: “We want to keep our good, young, local players and Robbie and Hammo both fit that description.

“I’m sure there’s plenty more to come from both of the boys next season.”

Indeed, Conlon is not the only Academy starlet to commit his future to his homegrown club – no fewer than seven of last year’s youth stars have put pen-topaper for another season, looking to follow in his footsteps and battle their way into first-team recognition.

Nathan Stroomberg, Callum Kealy, Ian Robinson, Jack Whitmore, George McCarthy, Harry Reed and Dean Stewart-Hunter have all already got a taste of the senior squad and Freeman reckons they are ready to make the step up.

“Several of those lads broke into the first team last season and not a single one of them let us down,” Freeman added. “They are all going to be giving me selection headaches next year.”