Colchester United's up and coming stars were given a special look around their future home last week, as the club signed up the first members of next year's U9s squad.

Recent years have seen the U's youth programme bear plenty of fruit, with Anthony Wordsworth's superb season this year evidence of the players that have come through the ranks at the club.

Several other current first team players have also benefitted from the club's youth programme, with Medy Elito, John White, Mark Cousins, Sam Corcoran, Russell Malton and Tom Bender all home grown talent.

Other players who have come through the youth ranks include Lomana Tresor Lua Lua, Greg Halford and George Elokobi, all of whom have played in the Premier League in recent years.

And nine youngsters who hope to follow in the professionals footsteps signed their first Colchester United contracts to be a part of the youngest U's development squad for next season.

There is a strong local connection, with Colchester, Suffolk and Chelmsford being represented as home towns of the newest U's on the block.

And Centre of Excellence Manager Dmitri Halajko was pleased to welcome the new boys on board.

He said: "The boys have been with us for a year in the Development Centre and the Advanced Coaching Programme.

"I would like to give special thanks to the clubs who have allowed the boys to join us - four have come from Stanway Villa, one from Holland FC, two from Notley and one from Cornard.

"It is a testament to the hard work that these clubs have put into their development - they have progressed these lads and it shows the good work going on in the local area in youth football."

Seven of the nine have attended the Colchester United Community Sports Trust's Advanced Coaching Programme.

Sean Hillier, ACP Director, added, "This is yet another example of the fantastic partnership work that CUCST and CUFC do in the community.

"It also follows on from two more ex-ACP boys: U13s player Joe Moore and current U9s Kieran Michaels, who both signed contracts with the COE earlier on in the season.

"It is vital that the ACP boys see that there are the relevant progression pathways here at CUCST.

"We have worked so hard throughout the last few seasons to prove this, and now closer links than ever have been established between the club and the Trust. The future is definitely bright!"

Dmitri, who also coaches the ACP U8s, said: "The ACP provides a good feeder programme to our Centre of Excellence and we are looking forward to working with the new U9s group for next season.

"At the Centre of Excellence, we are always on the look out for talented footballers and we hope the summer trials we attract even more."

More players hope to follow in their footsteps this summer, with the Centre of Excellence holding their annual trials in the week beginning Monday 26th July 2010.

The dates of the trials are as follows:-

Tuesday 27th July
U9s 10am to 12pm
U10s 1pm to 3pm
U11s 4pm to 6pm

Thursday 29th July
U12s 10am to 12pm
U13s 1pm to 3pm
U14s 4pm to 6pm

Please note these age groups refer to the season 2010/11 age groups.

All Centre of Excellence trials will take place at University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ.

The trials application form can be downloaded HERE.