THREE amateur footballers will spend a week training with the Town first team as they bid to win Samsung’s Win A Pro Contract competition.
Midfielder Jack Sherratt, 19, of Stoke-on-Trent, and strikers Claudio Hoban, 21, of Northampton and Kayden Jackson, 18, of Bradford impressed Assistant Manager Fabrizio Piccareta in the Final of the nationwide competition.
Paolo Di Canio was unable to attend due to illness but did watch the players in action at the Semi-Final stage, an 11-a-side match held at the County Ground on December 16.
The players made last night’s Final at Leyton Orient’s Matchroom Stadium after progressing through a series of trials, beating off more than 5,000 entrants to reach the last 11.
They took on an Orient XI containing youth team players and first year professionals, narrowly losing the game 3-2.
Piccareta said: “Paolo was impressed with the three players when he saw them play in December. Last night they all played well again.
“Now they have a big opportunity to impress us and win a contract. It will be hard work but I’m sure they will learn a lot.
“We look forward to welcoming them to Swindon next month.”
Di Canio will now assess the players when they join the first-team squad for a week of intense training in February.
The three players will also spend a week training with Leyton Orient before Di Canio and Russell Slade each reward one player with a life-changing year-long professional contract.
Sky Sports will be showing a three-part series on Samsung Win A Pro Contract starting in mid-March.
For more information on Samsung Win A Pro Contract, visit www.facebook.com/samsungfootball
