The octet who are all 16 years old have all signed two-year deals with the club and have already started at Huish Park. 

Looking to eventually represent their hometown club at first team level, strikers Alfie Lloyd and Ben Hughes agreed terms after recently completing their GCSE studies at Preston School in Yeovil. 

Join them both in making the step up from within the Academy are central defender or midfielder Sam Wright – who featured for the under-18s several times in 2018/19 – and winger Adam Heaton. 

Joining Sam in defence will be Esdras Lama and Jiah Medrano, with Dylan Abora-Poku able to operate at right-back or on the wing. 

Completing the new intake is central midfielder Sacario Waugh, with all eight joining the existing second-year scholars in forging the squad.

Taking the reigns of the under-18s will be manager Ryan Northmore, who spent a short spell at the club in 2004 as a player. 

Ryan returns to the UK after recent spells in Bangladesh and China but has been a professional coach since 2007 operating in numerous roles including Head Coach, Technical Director, First Team Coach, Academy Manager and Academy Coach, working with players at senior international level and below.

We welcome Ryan and all new scholars to the club and wish them all the best during their time in Somerset.

New scholars: Adam Heaton, Alfie Lloyd, Ben Hughes, Dylan Abora-Poku, Esdras Lama, Jiah Medrano, Sacario Waugh, Sam Wright.

Existing second-year scholars: Kacper Kowalczyk, George Calverley, Declan Rose, Tai Fleming, Tyrique Clarke, Daniel Neild, Archie Sturdy, Devon Arnold.