Nine young players have signed their first professional contracts with Wanderers.
The nine all helped the Whites win the EFL Youth Alliance and Lancashire FA Youth Cup last season and advance to the professional ranks after completing their two-year scholarships with the club.
The group – all 18 – were also part of the B Team squad that won the Lancashire FA Senior Cup, while forwards David Abimbola and Daeshon Lawrence and wing-back Harrison Rice had a taste of first-team football at the end of the 2024/25 season.
Abimbola made a full EFL debut, while Lawrence made two League One appearances from the bench and Rice appeared as a late substitute on the final day of the campaign to mirror forward Conor Lewis’ outing off the bench in a Vertu Trophy tie earlier in the season.
The quartet join defenders Jamie Grayson, Emile Oliver and Oliver Smith and midfielders Harley Irwin and Harry Leigh in signing professional deals to continue their development and career paths with the Whites.
Wanderers’ Head of Academy, Dave Gardiner, said: “These are the most professional contracts we have awarded at any one time and are result of a three-year plan put in place to re-build the Academy and re-establish a pathway through the age groups towards senior football.
Class of 2025/26 (left to right): Daeshon Lawrence, Jamie Grayson, Harley Irwin, Oliver Smith, B Team Head Coach Andy Taylor, David Abimbola, Harrison Rice, Conor Lewis, Harry Leigh, Emile Oliver
“It’s credit to the staff behind the recruitment, coaching, education and player care and, most importantly, to the players themselves for their achievements and progress on and off the pitch to get this far.
“Hopefully, this is just the next step of their journey with Bolton. It was great to see some of them make senior debuts last season and it’s now about how we – and they – build on this to continue their development with us as talented young players.”
Head B Team coach Andy Taylor, who will be among those overseeing the next phase of the teenagers’ careers, said: “It's a really big moment in their lives and it's something that they should all be really, really proud of. They've all worked ever so hard to get to that stage and to get rewarded with that pro contract.
“As a group last year they had lots and lots of success and then from an individual point of view there was lots of success as well, particularly with what happened towards the end of the season with a few lads getting the chance to get involved with the first team.
“They should all be really happy with what they've achieved so far. However, it's down to me really to keep their feet on the ground and mention that the hard work starts here. What we want is as many of those to continue their journey and end up fully in our first-team squad.
“Hopefully, again, one, two, three or four can affect the first team at some point, but they're going to have to earn it. They're going to have to work really hard and they’re going to have to be patient for the opportunity. Then if they get the opportunity, it's down to them to go and take it. But they've all come back in really good shape and they look really hungry and really keen to go and make the next step, so, it should be an exciting season.”
Watch a full interview with Andy Taylor on the new intake of professionals on Wanderers TV
