Academy manager Terry Westley

This week has seen the club's management team make decisions on the futures of a number of young players.

With the season's end fast approaching, Academy manager Terry Westley and the rest of the Blues management team have been deciding which youngsters will be offered professional contracts by the club next season and which are to be released.

From the crop of second year scholars, winger Luke Hubbins, centre half Dan Preston and full back Luke Rowe have all been offered 12-month professional contracts.

Full back Jamie Dunphy has been offered a six month professional contract and midfielder Adam Newbury has been given an extended scholarship.

Other second years, Jake Jervis, Jordon Mutch, Mitch McPike and Ashley Sammons, have already penned professional deals with the club whilst first year goalkeeper Jack Butland has also been given a pro contract, even though he still has another year of his scholarship to run.

Meanwhile first year pros Shaun Timmins (full back) and Jacob Rowe (centre back) have been released along with scholars Stefan Metcalfe (centre back) and Shane Williams (midfielder).

Westley admitted that despite being in the game for more than 30 years, letting young players go was one of the most difficult parts of his job.

"The decision on whether to keep a young player on is discussed between me, reserve team manager Malky Thomson and Alex McLeish.

Dan Preston has been offered a 12-month professional deal.

"We look at a number of factors when deciding on a player's future including what their attitude is like in training and off the pitch, is he worth another year and who have we got in front of him and behind him.

"It's a very hard part of the game but to be fair to the manager here he calls them into his office with us and does it face to face.

"We hope they leave better people and good young men who show some respect outside of the football club."

Despite some of the youngsters not having a future at St. Andrew's, Westley is confident that a number of them will find places with other clubs and says he will be doing his best to help them.

"We're do everything we can to prolong their careers in the game," he said.

"We've been picking the phone up to other clubs and saying 'this player is worth having a look at.

"Their wages are covered by us until the end of their contract which is June 30, which will enable them to go to somewhere like a Cheltenham or an Oxford while we're still paying them.

"Someone like Scott Dann is a great example and one that I used when I was speaking to the boys.

"He was at Walsall, he went to Redditch on loan before going back to Walsall and then he moved to Coventry and he's now playing for us in the Premier League."