DAVE Byrne has challenged Town's latest crop of future stars to prove their worth in what he believes will be "the hardest ever season in their careers".

With nine of Town's youth team given their first professional contracts, assistant boss Byrne has warned the second deal is always the hardest to achieve.

But as the summer silly season kicks into gear, Byrne, pictured below, insists his starlets will provide another option next campaign and is confident some will step up and make the grade.

Jack Winter and Tom Evans are the latest to be recognised, earning call-ups for Wales under 17s and 19s respectively, but Byrne knows they all have plenty of work ahead before they can look forward to long futures in the game.

He said: "This is a massive year for them. They have been given their first deal but the second professional contract is always the hardest to get.

"The lads, especially the four second year scholars, have to step up to the mantle and show they can become back up players for the first team.

"At the end of the day they have given us another option though. When was the last time Swindon Town could boast having so many youngsters pushing for a place in the first team squad.

"It helps us in our search for new players because we know we don't need to panic. We have these young players waiting for their chance and I believe they would be more than capable of taking it as well."

Byrne and Town boss Malpas are in the process of talking to agents and making lists of potential transfer targets - although any real moves remain unlikely until the end of the play-offs.

Swindon remain confident Malpas' squad will be added to with some experience over the coming months but Byrne again emphasised the role the kids' can play next season.

He said: "I am a big believer you should give all these lads a one year professional contract because 18-20 is the age when you really find out if they are good enough.

"Look at Ben Tozer. He made the substitutes bench for Newcastle on Sunday and yet he was playing college football just 18 months ago.

"That is why we have given them another year. Every Tom, Dick and Harry could be lying in wait to take these players off us free of charge if we had not kept them on, and then we would really be kicking ourselves."

9:00am Thursday 15th May 2008

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