Bristol City reward FA Youth Cup side with 10 pro deals ahead of publication of retained list

Brian Tinnion has hailed a fantastic year for the Bristol City academy after professional deals have been awarded to a core part of their Under-18 side which reached the semi-finals of the FA Youth Cup.

Ten members of that Young Robins side have been handed pro contracts to continue their development at the High Performance Centre and eventually push for first-team inclusion.

City were narrowly beaten 1-0 by Manchester City in the last four of the competition, while the U18s are second in Group B of the Professional Development League, and the expectation is now for many to become regulars in the U21 set-up next season and potentially even part of Liam Manning’s senior group.

Indeed, of the 10, midfielder Jed Meerholz, winger Raekwon Nelson and full-back Joseph James made matchday squads last season, with the latter starting against Cardiff City in October.

St Werburghs-raised Nelson, who joined City at U11 leve,l has signed a three-year agreement, while Meerholz, James, defenders Zak Ali, Taine Anderson, Archie Taylor and midfielders Callum Hewett and Billy Phillips have agreed two-year deals. Forwards Brandon Bak and Tim ap Sion have been awarded one-year contracts.

“It’s been a fantastic year for this group of young players, with how they’ve performed in their league and the FA Youth Cup run,” Robins technical director Tinnion said. “Many have been involved in matchday squads over the course of the season, and I’m excited to see how they develop.

“This is a club that prides itself on the development of young, local players and we’ve once again seen a high number of academy-grown players in the starting XI every week, and more debuts for our young players.”

U21 midfielder Tommy Backwell, who has made the first-team squad this season, has also signed a one-year extension to the pro deal he signed in 2022 which was due to expire this summer. Backwell was among a group of U21 regulars whose deals are up shortly with the club set to confirm their retained list in the coming days.

Goalkeepers Harvey Wiles-Richards and Mac Boyd, centre-back Duncan Idehen, full-backs Harry Leeson and Zac Bell, midfielders Dylan Kadji and Ben Acey and forward Callum Hutton are among those whose contracts are due to expire.

In terms of senior players, Andy King has now retired, Andi Weimann is expected to be released having spent the second half of the season on loan at West Brom, Joe Williams has been offered a new deal while, as of the final week of the 2023/24 campaign, the club were in talks with Matty James.

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