Four sign professional contracts/fan rewards

Pompey, yesterday, announced that fans will be rewarded for their support with a free Blue Army or Junior Blue membership for renewal of their season ticket by 5.30pm today.

Also, on the playing side of things, 4 academy graduates have signed 1-year professional contracts with the club.

More details on both, as published on The Pompey Site, can be found below...

PLAY UP POMPEY!

Fans To Be Rewarded For Support

All Pompey fans who have renewed their season tickets during the early bird phase will be given a free Blue Army or Junior Blue Membership as a thank you for their loyalty.

Supporters who renew their season ticket before 5.30pm on Wednesday will be eligible for this great offer.

Becoming part of the Blue Army will allow you to make the most of our priority ticketing facilities as well as entitling you to exclusive offers and events.

The first offer will be from Fitness First in Fratton, who will waive their normal joining fee.

There will also be free draws for members with prizes including the chance to watch a match from the boardroom - with lunch beforehand - and a visit to the training ground.

And for the first time Blue Army membership will allow you to vote on key issues at the club at a new annual delegates meeting.

You can renew your season ticket online here https://www.eticketing.co.uk/portsmouth/default.aspx
, by phoning 0844 847 1898 or in person at the club`s ticket office in Rodney Road.

Blue Army and Junior Blue memberships for 2010/11, priced at £25 and £15, will go on sale on Friday, July 2.

---

Four Sign Professional Deals

Four of last season's academy players have signed one-year professional contracts at Fratton Park.

Eighteen-year-olds Perry Ryan, Ellis Martin and Pete Gregory and Billy Goddard (17) have all been rewarded for their steady performances and progression through the youth ranks.

Ryan is a central defender, Goddard and Martin play in midfield while Gregory is a right-sided player comfortable either at the back or on the wing.

Pompey's Head of Youth Development, Paul Smalley, stressed the importance of the club nurturing its own talent.

He said: "They have all come through the youth programme and are all living in and around the city of Portsmouth, which is refreshing.

"Obviously as the club moves forward we have to rely more on producing our own talent.

"We provide a programme from which they are able to progress and develop, whereby people can observe them and make these critical decisions.

"Most clubs look upon one or two coming through each year with regard to signing professional contracts. So we feel very fortunate that we have four potentially good players who have benefited from a club of this stature and who can hopefully continue their progress.

"These players have been here a long time and a club like Pompey has to continue to invest in the youth programme.

"In return I'm sure we will continue to provide players not just for the football industry but for the senior team here.

"I was listening to Graham Taylor recently and he was saying you're actually not a professional player until you have had two full seasons in the senior squad.

"And whether that is the criteria or not the important thing from my point of view is to have all these four players pushing and getting into the first team regularly.

"We've seen some potential and given them an opportunity and hopefully with the help of other people's observations they can see what I see.

"Hopefully they can then offer longer-term contracts where we can continue that investment and provide the opportunity for them.

"There is a need for them to quickly make that progress and demonstrate they can actually get into a senior squad.

"I hope they will get support from the more seasoned professionals which will help their education.

"When you consider what this club has been through it's fantastic seeing players who've progressed being so excited at signing their first professional contract. We hope it's the first four of many more."



For more information about the Vital England predictions league game - click here.

For more information about the Vital England fantasy football game - click here.

Seconds Out! Vital Boxing is here!

Vital F1 Prediction League - Join now for Monaco

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.