Bentley hails academy improvements after signing three more youngsters

Ben Hedley, Niall Maher and Steve Yawson have signed their first professional contracts taking the number making the step-up to senior football at the Globe Arena to five.

Luke Jordan and Tyler Brownsword had already been tied down mid-season as Bentley backed up the work being done by head of youth Stewart Drummond and his team.

“I am really pleased that we have been able to sign up three more of our academy players because it shows that we are making some good developments in our youth system,” said Bentley.

“We signed Luke Jordan and Tyler Brownsword last year so we now have five very promising youngsters on our books which sends out a good message to other young players that if they come to Morecambe they will get their chance if they prove themselves.”

Midfielder Hedley and striker Yawson, along with winger Jordan, all made their first-team debuts last season.

Goalkeeper Maher, the third on the first-team books alongside Barry Roche and Dan Nizic, was an unused substitute on several occasions during the 2016-2017 campaign.

Brownsword is yet to make a match-day 18 in League Two but impressed enough to be offered professional terms at the same time as Jordan in February.