Lee Graham was awarded the U19 Player of the Year last season.

"I got offered a new deal a week past Thursday after training.  It was good to find out that all the boys were offered the same thing."

Lee is kept on along with fellow full time youths - Harry McGregor, Ryan Thomson and Jordan White, along with Paul Willis.  It came as a bit of a relief for the lads.

"We were all worked up in playing and training.  It got to you a little bit.  You just have to put it aside and it was good to find out that we would all be coming back.

"It is hard when players have to leave.  Next season maybe there will be new faces in or maybe there will just be the four of us again.

"I am hoping to break through and get a couple of appearances under my belt but I know that I have to continue to work away hard."

Lee captained the Under 19s after Stuart Dearden went out on loan last season and he was rewarded by Jim McIntyre placing him on the bench for the last three matches. Macca obviously feels that the 18 year old from Bellshill might have potential to go further:-

"The Manager has not really mentioned that yet, he has just told me to concentrate on improving.

"I played almost all the U19 games and reserve games last season.  Probably around 26, but then missed a few because I was on the bench for the first team. "

Despite not getting an opportunity to make a debut Lee has enjoyed travelling with the first team.

"It is good experience to get involved.  I just need to try and get on the park now.

"I understand that I am a young boy but I want to try and get in the team while I am as young as possible.

Pals at Hamilton and Motherwell who have been kept on but they are not getting as many reserve games.  Lee hopes to benefit from the smaller squad that the Pars will have.

"Training has been good this season.  Hamish has a small squad and has to make do with what he has got.  I enjoyed it and he makes it as fun as possible.

"I will enjoy the time off but I will be back on 24^th June to get a pre-season under me."

"My contract finished at the end of the season but I have been offered a new one.  I am pretty happy about that really."

Jordan scored 20 goals in 2008-09 in around 26 matches and hopes to improve on that next season.  He was delighted that his team mates would be back again as well:-

"I thought all of us did really well, we worked hard and all improved, we just need to keep going now.

"Hamish has definitely helped us along that way, he has been a really good coach.

"Obviously I am looking to get a chance in the first team but I need to improve myself."

Jordan made a first team appearance in the pre season friendly against Hearts last year and he is hoping for a lot more of that:-

"We are all looking to go as far with the Club as possible.  The first team won't have a big squad and I just have to try and break into it.  Hopefully I will get a chance."

Jordan talked us through a normal week in the life of a full time youth player:-

Depending on when the U19 and reserve team fixtures fall a normal week for a full timer like Jordan is:

Monday: training in the morning

Tuesday: a double session that can be training in the morning and gym in the afternoon.

Wednesday:  off

Thursday: training full day

Friday: light training

Saturday morning:  training with the 19's when the part timers come in

Sunday:  usually an U19 game.

Wednesdays might have been termed time off but Jordan has been studying Higher English at South Lanarkshire College in East Kilbride .  This is just a safety valve to provide Jordan with a qualification that he can use after his football career.

When training with Hamish it is small numbers but both Lee and Jordan admitted that when permitted, the full time youths enjoyed training as part of the squad with the first team .