Clean slate for Edmundson

ATHLETIC’S re-signing of teenage starlet George Edmundson appears to indicate that new boss Darren Kelly will be keen to give youth a chance next season.

Defender Edmundson — a member of the youth side that crushed MK Dons 4-0 to win the Youth Alliance Cup last month — was initially told he wouldn’t be offered new terms.

But Edmundson has signed a one-year professional contract with the club after a reassessment by new manager Darren Kelly, who seems keen to offer all his players a chance to stake a claim for first-team places next season.

Kelly said: “Every player at the club will start from a clean slate in my eyes. The lads return for pre-season training on June 29, and from then on everyone will get an opportunity to show what they’re all about.

“There is some great potential here, and it doesn’t matter how young they are, if they’re good enough they will get a chance to fight for a place.

“Tony Philliskirk is doing a great job with the young players and we’ll be working closely together in the run-up to the new season.”

On Edmundson specifically, Kelly said: “There are a lot of players highly thought of here, and George is one of those. He knows the hard work starts now, but he will be given every opportunity to progress at this club.”

A delighted Edmundson said: “It’s come as a big shock. I’ve been doing stuff to get physically bigger and stronger. The new manager comes from a youth background so that gives us a head start because we know he tries to develop young players.”

Tuohy, Devante Jacobs and Danny Byrnes signed their first professional contracts with Athletic at the end of last season. But fellow apprentices Callum Etches, Eddie Fulwood, Emil Tansinda, Jordache Walters, goalkeeper Paul Tyson and non-contract player Ben Grant were told that they would not be offered terms.

Ryan Ellison, who has been injured for the majority of the season, turned down the offer to have his apprenticeship suspended and extended into next season, and has left the club.