IPSWICH TOWN: All seven Blues second year scholars have been offered professional contracts.

Tom Eastman, who was on the bench for Town’s Championship 3-1 victory at Derby County last Monday, is believed to have been offered a one-year deal while Luke Hyam, Ronan Murray, Jamie Griffiths, Seb Dunbar, Billy Clark and David Cawley have also been given the chance to extend their Ipswich careers into next season.

Defender Eastman, who hails from Clacton, has been praised by Town manager Roy Keane while Murray won his 11th Republic of Ireland Under-19 cap this week in a 1-0 win over Poland in a friendly in Dublin.

Cawley missed out on the Irish Under-19 squad due to injury with Keane indicating that neither he nor Murray will feature in first team action this term.

“They both need to get fitter,” said Keane.

“But different lads go through different stages when they’re 17 or 18. Connor Wickham is a big strong boy, but the two Irish lads will be stronger for a good pre-season in the summer.”