As we announced on iFollow Mariners on Tuesday, four players who have been offered professional deals by the club.
Speaking on iFollow Mariners, Youth team coach Neil Woods gave us the low-down on the quartet.
“Joe Starbuck has done it the really hard way.
“He stayed on to do his A-levels, but the school supported him tremendously with his commitments here.
“He is a really good athlete. Some fans may have seen him play against Scunthorpe in an EFL Trophy game last season.
“He can play right-back, centre midfield or wide right. He is a very intelligent footballer and a very intelligent lad.
“I think he has a good chance of progressing over the next year to get on the fringes of the first team.
“Duncan Idehen is a centre-half we took from Lincoln in his second year. He is very quick, very athletic.
“He has come out of himself a lot in the last year and developed into a very competent player.
“He is a left-footed centre-half, a good listener and a good learner.
“Training with the first team will allow him to understand the physicality needed.
“I think he can be an asset for the club in the future.
“Joey Hope, a left back, had a very difficult first year. He had a knee operation after damaging it playing as an under-16 in the under-18s.
“He had an operation and missed all pre-season in his first year. He came back and three days in did exactly the same injury on the other knee.
“He came back again, worked really hard and took a bit of getting going which we all understood.
“He has a very comfortable left foot and has beautiful delivery of the ball. He’s a good character.
“Cameron Painter can play central midfield or right-back.
“He’s a bit of a throwback with 100 per cent commitment, attitude and desire.
Cameron’s the one who came out of the pack a bit. His attitude and endeavour to succeed has been terrific.
“He is one who forces his way in because of the way he is – he is never going to shirk anything and never going to go missing.
“For attitude, you will never find a lad who has got one better.”
