BLACKBURN Rovers have welcomed the latest intakes into their Academy.

The teenagers put pen-to-paper on two-year scholarship contracts at the club’s annual end-of-season induction evening.

The new scholars were given a tour of the living and training facilities at Brockhall before listening to presentations about what will be expected of them both on and off the pitch.

They will have big boots to fill with a number of this season’s under-18s side, which reached the semi-finals of the FA Youth Cup, now set to make a permanent move to Rovers’ under-21 setup.

But Eric Kinder also believes the success the team has enjoyed – 10 players have signed professional contracts with the club – should act as an inspiration.

Kinder, Rovers’ head of academy, said: “I’ve always said it’s the best night of the year, because everybody is a little bit naive and it’s a brand new world and they all want to be England internationals within five years, and it’s great to see their faces, but we do try to paint a picture of how difficult it’s going to be.

“Parents are obviously very proud of their sons that they’ve come through those schoolboy years, and they’re probably quite relieved that they don’t have to cart their kids all over the country – that’s our job now for the next two years.

“I’ve always said there’s a lot of downside to working in youth football, because you’re usually releasing players or saying ‘no’ to players and putting an end to their dreams, but the induction evening is a really nice night, so it’s important that you make the most of it.

“They’ve got a hard act to follow, because they’re coming up behind this group that’s moved on and have done ever so well, but hopefully they’ll see that there is a clear pathway through for youth players at this club and hopefully they’ll take advantage of that when they get the chances.”

The incoming scholars are Ben Blackburn, John Buckley, Daniel Butterworth, Mathew Campbell, Hayden Carter, Jack Evans, Andrew Jackson, Frank Jones, Bradley Lynch, Te-Jay Robinson, Lewis Thompson and Callum Wright.