Sam Chaney and Mickey Parcell have been offered professional contracts at the end of their two-year apprenticeship with Torquay United.
Deals for the midfield duo has pleased The Gulls’ Head of Youth Geoff Harrop who said: “I’m delighted for both Sam and Mickey, who’s been our club captain.”
“They have been excellent Apprentices, not only in their work ethic but also as people. We also believe they have the talent and potential to go on to better things as pro’s.”
However Monty Berrow, Jordan Campbell, Jack Mace and Kevin McCallion were all released though Jamie Alexandrou, who has been side-lined by a groin injury for close to six months has been invited back for pre-season.
Berrow has accepted a university scholarship in Tampa Bay, Florida, while Campbell is scheduled to enrol at Northumbria University in September.
Mace and McCallion who both attended LFE’s Assessment Trials at Staines are believed to also have other options on the table.
Despite the silver lining of other options being available for the boys not offered professional terms Harrop insists that this part of his job remains difficult.
“It still hurt as much this year as when I first did it 18 years ago – you know you are breaking the hearts of some of the boys,” he said.
“But we are committed to an excellent exit-strategy, where we sit down and try to plan a proper future for the boys who are leaving us.”
“I’ve been proud of the way that those boys have come in and sat down with us, only a couple of days after we told them the news they didn’t want to hear.”
Harrop added: “We believe that our youth scheme, which was closed (2004) and then reopened (2008), will in a way come full circle next year with our current Under-16s.”
“We are really excited about that group, and with the trainees who are about to start their second years as scholars – lads like Levi Ives, O’Neill Odofin, Dan Lavercombe and Liam Prynn.”
“We often played a really young Youth team this season – goalkeeper Neale Osborne is still only 15 – but many of them have already trained with the first team,” Harrop added.
To listen to Jack Mace talk about his departure from Torquay and hopes for the future please watch the video below:
