Eight teenagers from Gillingham’s under-16 side have been handed scholarships.

The players, all from Kent, will begin a two-year full-time programme at the club from next summer and attempt to earn a professional deal upon its completion.

They will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Andrew Crofts, who progressed through the youth set-up, before signing a senior contract with the club.

The eight players include four from the Medway towns.

Defenders Callum Davies, from Rainham, Tom Brunt from Chatham and Gillingham’s Jack Evans have all been with the club since they were seven.

They are joined on the scholarship programme by Chatham’s Ryan Benniman.

Making up the eight from around the county are Ashford-based goalkeeper Daren Hawkes, midfielders Alex Brown (Maidstone) and Sam Fisher (Ashford) and left footed James Brown from Herne Bay.

The eight were picked by Gillingham’s centre of excellence manager Bryan Bull and youth team manager Mark Patterson.

Bull said: “We have to believe that they have the ability to cope physically, mentally and technically with the rigours of everyday training.

“We have to be conscious of the fact that we can only take 18 players over a two year period and obviously it is vital to have a balanced squad.”