YOUNG TRIO NET DEALS

GRIMSBY Town will head into next season with EIGHT products of the club’s Academy on their books.

It comes after Jock Curran, Rumarn Burrell and Brandon Buckley – grandson of former manager Alan – became the latest players to sign their first professional contracts.

Burrell has already made two cameo appearances from the bench in League Two, while Curran and Buckley have been included in recent matchday squads.

It’s been a remarkable year for the Academy, with goalkeeper Ollie Battersby and defender Mattie Pollock having already put pen to paper on senior teams; the latter making his EFL debut during the heroic victory at Exeter City in December.

As a result of these latest deals, the Mariners are set to include eight home-grown players in their squad ahead of the 2019/2020 season.

Harry Clifton has been a regular feature since the appointment of Michael Jolley last March, while Max Wright is set to return to Blundell Park next week following a successful loan spell at Boston United. He has made 30 appearances for the Pilgrims in National League North – scoring four times – ahead of their final outing on Saturday. Ahkeem Rose, meanwhile, was handed his first EFL start at the weekend, as the Mariners got back to winning ways against Carlisle United. Jock Curran (left), Brandon Buckley (above) and Rumarn Burrell (below) have all been offered professional deals