Youth to Pro 2024

Heart of Midlothian Football Club is delighted to announce that ten players from the Hearts Academy have signed their first professional contracts.

 

The talented youngsters have pledged to continue their development at Tynecastle Park, and will be pushing for a place within the Under-18s and B-Team squads as the 24/25 campaign progresses.

 

Marking the continued development of the academy under the guidance of Andy Webster, the class of 2024 has already hit significant milestones.

 

• Six Balerno Performance School graduates.
• Six with the club since the age of 8/9 and went right through the Academy.
• Nine involved in the foundation phase.
• Nine had international call ups at some youth level for Scotland.
• Three who left the club at younger age groups before developing at grassroots, and then coming back in to sign.

 

Speaking to the Official Hearts Website, Webster said: “It's a reward for their hard work up to this point. They can celebrate this moment and appreciate making it to the first rung of the ladder.

 

"It's a great time to celebrate with the players and their families and I congratulate them all. This is where the hard work starts now, however.

 

"They're in a professional environment and the demands are slightly different to what they would have been previously. The boys have been great so far, and the coaching staff will be there to help them along the way."

 

Jack Lyon – 2008 - GK – Grassroots Club: Loanhead Miners

 

 

With the club since the foundation phase (U8/9s) and a Balerno Performance School graduate. Jack is an agile goalkeeper, who is an excellent shot stopper.

 

Comfortable with the ball at his feet and is the joker of the group!  A serious professional who has been a strong performer throughout his time in the academy. Unlucky with injury towards the end of U16s, Jack has already featured for our B-Team this pre-season and had U18s experience last year too.

 

Jack joins on a two-year deal and is a huge Hearts fan.

 

 Lyndon Tas – 2008 – Goalkeeper – Grassroots Club: Spartans Youth

 

Like Jack, Lyndon is also a performance school graduate, and Jack & Lyndon have been together since the age of U10s.

 

Lyndon is a tall shot-stopper with good command around his goal. Eligible for both Scotland and England, he has seen call ups to various Scotland squads, and has been to St George’s Park for training camps with the English FA over the past couple of years.

 

Lyndon is no stranger to U18s having been in goals for much of last year as an U16. He joins on a two-year-deal.

 

 Josh Radcliffe – 2008 – Left-Back – Grassroots Club: Linlithgow Rose

 

 

A tall and rangy left back from Broxburn, Josh has been with the club since the age of nine and is another Balerno Performance School graduate who has represented Scotland at age group level. 

 

A fixture at U16s last season, and capable of playing as a traditional LB or in a more attacking left winger, Josh is a technically strong player, with a wicked left foot, who is a real threat from set-plays scoring numerous free-kicks last season. He signs on a two-year-deal.

 

 Ryan Kelly – 2008 – Defender CB/RB- Grassroots Club: Edinburgh City Youth

 

A latecomer to the Academy environment only joining the Academy at U15s from Edinburgh City Youth.

 

Traditionally a centre back, Ryan been playing for the U18s as a Right back more recently. Ryan possesses electric pace which he utilises to recover defensively and also be a threat running beyond when playing in a FB/WB position.

 

A natural defender who can sense danger and shows real aggression in his actions. Ryan also has a real engine to get around the pitch, particularly when at full back. He signs on a two-year-deal.

 

 Alfie Osborne – 2008 –  Midfielder CM/CB – Grassroots Club: Spartans Youth

 

 

With the club since the very beginning of the foundation academy, and another performance school graduate, Alfie has trained numerous times with the first team over the past few months and was on the bench for the first team's friendly at Fleetwood Town.

 

Usually the anchor in midfield, Alfie can also slot into the back 4, and stands at 6”4. A metronome in midfield, Alfie prides himself on his ball retention, and can dictate the tempo of games from his midfield berth. Has featured for Scotland at youth level. A massive Jambo, Alfie joins on a two-year-deal.

  

Euan Banks – 2008 – Midfielder CM – Grassroots Club: Tranent Colts

 

Another who has been with the club since the beginning of the Academy Journey, Banksy has he is known, is an all-action midfielder.

 

Capable of dictating games from deep, and influencing games in and around the penalty box, he also has a reputation as a tough tackling midfielder. Tall in stature Banksy can also be a threat in the opposition box from set plays.

 

Euan joins on a two-year-deal.

 

 Charlie Sanders – 2008 – Midfielder CM – Grassroots Club: Bonnyrigg Rose

 

 

Charlie spent some time in the Academy at the foundation phase at U8-10s but was not signed at U11s.

 

Charlie went back to Bonnyrigg Rose, developed in their environment, and rejoined the academy at U15s, and has been a mainstay since. Hailing from Lasswade High School, Charlie is a cultured, left footed midfielder who has incredible energy out of possession, and also uses this to run in behind and stretch teams from midfield.

 

A regular goal scorer from deep, Charlie has already trained with the B-Team and the first team over the past year and will be a regular for David McNeil’s 18s this season. Charlie joins on a two-year-deal.

 

 Taylor Hogarth – 2008 – Midfielder CM – Grassroots Club: Hutchison Vale

 

Taylor is both a Balerno performance school graduate and someone who has come right through the Academy ranks from the foundation phase from the age of 7-9 to sign for his boyhood club.

 

A left footed midfielder who has captained his country at youth age groups, Taylor has already been involved in the B-Team setup.

 

A busy midfielder who is a magnet to the ball, constantly getting on it and playing forward. Capable of influencing the game from a wide area, Taylor tends to play as a more attacking midfielder, getting in behind, linking with his strikers and getting on the score sheet regularly.

 

Taylor joins on a two-year-deal.

 

 Callen Robb – 2008 – Striker  – Grassroots Club: Edinburgh City Youth

 

 

Another, like Charlie and Gregor, who was not signed at the foundation phase, and spent time developing in the grassroots game before being signed at U15s.

 

Callen is a traditional 9, capable of doing a bit of everything. With a burst of pace, he can dart in behind to stretch opposition backlines but is equally adept at linking the game when playing with his back to goal. A regular scorer throughout 15s/16s, he has already scored numerous goals last year for the U18s and been involved in the B-team. Gained international recognition at youth level for Scotland.

 

Callen joins on a two-year-deal.

 

 Gregor Burn – 2007 –  Right-Back – Grassroots Club: Spartans Youth

 

 

It was third time lucky for Gregor at Hearts having been in the Academy at the foundation phase, before missing out on being signed. He was then brought back in by the Academy recruitment team at U12s, where again, he didn’t quite make the grade before finally signing at U15s.

 

Gregor’s sister Orla also plays for the Academy, and like his sister, has also been capped for Scotland at youth international level having played in the Victory Shield.

 

Gregor is a year older than the rest of the youth-to-pro signings, due to choosing to stay on at school for an extra year. A regular for the 18s last year, and already having featured in the Lowland League for the B-Team, Gregor has signed a one-year deal.

 

An energetic full back, Gregor has a turn of pace, and aggression to boot. Ubiquitous on the field, Gregor has captained the U18s last season showing his maturity and leadership.

 

Gregor joins on a one-year-deal.