FIVE Academy products have been offered full professional contracts by Town and told by manager Lee Clark: “Aim to prove yourselves at first-team level in the next 12 months.”

Moved up after two years in the junior ranks are Spencer Harris, Leigh Franks, Jack Hunt, Liam Ridehalgh and Lewis Nightingale.

They will be part of Clark’s first-team squad next season and will bid to emulate stars like Andy Booth, Andy Holdsworth, the Clarke brothers and Michael Collins in making a successful step from the Academy to League I level.

Republic of Ireland youth striker Dave Heagney is among eight Scholars who will not be retained by the club.

On those who are staying, manager Clark said today: “It is important that a club such as Huddersfield Town have their own young players coming through and making the grade necessary for the first team.

“Myself, (Academy manager) Graham Mitchell, the staff at the Academy and here at the stadium think that these five young players could have a future at the club.

“They have played quite a bit of football for the reserves this season and they have all shown something at different times during their scholarships. As such, we are moving them into the professional set-up to see how they handle it.

“The role of Paul Stephenson as development coach is massive now. He is here to bridge the gap between players being young scholars and becoming professionals.

“We are hoping that in six months or a year’s time, they will be able to compete at first-team level. Young players have been given opportunities here in the past and they will be now as I don’t judge people on birth certificates; for me if they are good enough, they are old enough.”

The eight not offered deals are Heagney, defender Dave Pickering, midfielders Stephen Brook, Lewis Collinson, Luke Durham and Luke Williams and strikers Danny Barlow and Chris Pert.

Clark explained: “It is terrible for these lads.

“It is one of the worst parts of Graham’s job when he has to inform the youngsters that basically their dream here is at an end.

“However, these young boys have to realise that this is not the end of their careers – they can go and bounce back somewhere else.”

Development coach Stephenson is looking forward to helping the five with new deals.

“I can’t wait to start work with them, they are a good bunch and they are very hard working judging by the time they have spent with me in the reserves,” he said.

“They are talented boys, but they still have a ladder to get up. They have started climbing, but this is only the start of their journey and I will try to help them ascend the rungs.

“You have to look at all their attributes and decide whether you can see them becoming part of the first team within a certain period of time, which varies from individual to individual as they are all in different stages of their development. We will help them to strengthen up in all departments, from tactical awareness to technical ability.

“We will also work on the physical side of things to make them stronger and fitter; Steve Black will help with that side of things as the fitness coach. A lot of their development will also come on the mental side, as becoming a professional is a big step for these lads.

“We will give the five lads as much help as we can, but they need to embrace it and work hard on things themselves. We will give them advice and the confidence to deal with the situation, but they will have to stand on their own two feet.”

Mitchell explained: “It’s the worst day of the year for us – I really don’t look forward to it.

“All of the second-year scholars have worked very hard this year, but some of them haven’t quite achieved what is necessary.

“We will try our best to help the boys who have been released to do what they want to in their future careers.

“We have looked for a level of consistency in the performances of the scholars and have selected the five who I believe have the potential to play for our first team. I hope that they will go onto represent themselves and the Academy in a professional manner, as we have taught them.”