The Ipswich Town Academy kids are making their mark already this season with half-a-dozen of them in the party on the first-team Scandinavian tour.More are featuring in reserves and Under-19 games as the build-up to an exciting new season continues.

The Ipswich Town Academy kids are making their mark already this season with half-a-dozen of them in the party on the first-team Scandinavian tour.

More are featuring in reserves and Under-19 games as the build-up to an exciting new season continues.

Scottish striker Liam Craig and England youth international defender Chris Hogg were among the scorers along with trialists Newton Boyce and Daniel Grainger at Framlingham on Wednesday.

Many of the same young squad could be in action tomorrow when there is an U18 friendly at the Ipswich Town Training Centre against Tranmere Rovers, with an 11am kick-off.

And Steve McCall takes another reserve squad to Ridgeons League Woodbridge Town on Monday, kick off 7.30pm.

The Ipswich team at Framlingham included Alfie Kamara, an attacking midfielder released by Arsenal, who has been taken on as a third-year trainee after several trial games and impressing in training.

Academy director Bryan Klug said: “He is a very good young player who had two years at Arsenal, and they don't have bad players, but he was finding it hard to progress and we quite like the look of him and wanted to give him a chance.

“He is a midfield player with attacking tendencies.”

The squad against Tranmere will be similar but defender Steve Towers will not be involved having had two games in the week.

Left-back Stuart Boardley, who has been working back towards fitness following a road accident, could return to the squad.

Klug added: “We are pleased with the way the pre-season is going but it is early days yet and we have quite a lot of improving to do.”

A group of Academy schoolboys will be flying out to Iceland next week after a late invitation to take part in an international U13/U14 tournament.

The trip is costing Ipswich nothing and they have been able to accept. Coaches Tony Humes, Ken Goody and Richard Hall will lead the party.