OPPORTUNITY is knocking for nine promising local schoolboy footballers - one from Plymouth, four from the rest of Devon, and four from Cornwall - all of whom have been offered apprentice professional contracts at Plymouth Argyle next season.

Head of Youth coaching Mike Pejic was delighted by this year's intake, having worked with some of them since a very early age.

He said: "I have been involved with this group for nearly three years now and we always knew they were a good group.

"Along with our Centre of Excellence coaches, we have spent ever such a lot of time and effort in getting them to the advanced stage that they have now reached."

Some of the youngsters first joined Argyle as nine- year-olds six seasons ago. Most were originally recommended by either Youth Development Officer John James or Chris Souness, the Head of the Advanced Development Centre at Bodmin.

Here are brief profiles of the nine likely lads:

Dan Hart: (Midfielder): From Plympton in Plymouth , Dan is not 16 until May and is a pupil at Ridgeway School. Dan joined the Pilgrims' Centre of Excellence as a nine-year-old, back in 2003. Last season he captained the Ridgeway under-15 team in their highly successful run in the English Schools' FA's individual schools competition, where they reached the national final, which was staged at Sheffield United's Bramall Lane stadium. He carried on the good work in July by helping Argyle's schoolboy team achieve fourth place in the prestigious Northern Ireland Milk Cup, ahead of Premier League clubs Chelsea and Hull City. Despite being so young, Dan made his Pilgrims' youth team debut the following month, appearing in the starting line-up for a pre-season friendly at Cardiff City. Hart has gone on to make four more appearances for the under-18's so far in their regular season games. He played for Plymouth schools' under-15's last season and is currently a member of the Devon schools' under-16 representative squad.

Jordan Copp: (Midfielder): From Saltash, Jordan celebrated his 16th birthday last month and attends Saltash.net School. Jordan possesses an educated left foot and has also been at our Centre of Excellence since the age of nine. On the recommendation of Mike Pejic, he attended England under-16 trials during the summer of last year. This summer he made impressive substitute appearances in pre-season warm-up matches against Arsenal and Manchester City, and he now has three starts and one substitute appearance for the Greens' under-18's in competitive games to his credit. In schools' football, he was in last season's East Cornwall under-15 team, and is currently now in the Cornwall under-16 squad.

Jack Stephens: (Defender): From Torpoint, and not 16 until January, Jack is a student at Torpoint Community College. He joined Argyle's Centre of Excellence as an 11-year-old. Already a commanding six-footer, he made his debut in the Green's under-18 team in a friendly at Arsenal three months ago and later in July he was a key player in the Young Pilgrims' squad that did so well in the Northern Ireland Milk Cup. A commanding defender, capable of performing well anywhere across the back-four, Jack also has an eye for lending a hand in attack, scoring several spectacular long-range goals. He has so far this season made two starts and one substitute appearance for Argyle in Youth Alliance competitive matches. Jack also played for East Cornwall schools' under-15's last season, and now plays with the Cornwall county under-16 team.

Jordan Pearce: (Defender): From Ivybridge, he was 16 early last month, and is the third product of the Ivybridge Community College football academy to be offered terms by the Greens in successive years, following in the footsteps of Ryan Leonard and Luke Young. Jordan is a relative late-comer to the club, having joined Argyle's Centre of Excellence in only January of last year. An athletic defender, he has subsequently made rapid strides, impressing on his debut for the Pilgrim's under-18's in their recent 0-0 draw with Exeter City. In schools' representative football, Jordan played for Plymouth under-15's last season and is now a member of the Devon under-16 squad.

Jed Harper-Penman: (Right winger): From Barnstable and not 16 until February, Jed attends Pilton Community College. A product of Argyle's Chivenor Development Centre, he signed Centre of Excellence forms two years ago. Jed is an early-developer, who made two starts and four substitute appearances for the youth team last season, when still an under-15 player. This summer he was in the starting line-up in the under-18's pre-season friendlies at Arsenal, Manchester City, Cardiff City and Aston Villa, as well as being one of the stars in the Northern Ireland Milk Cup. So far this season Jed has made two starts and one substitute appearance in Youth Alliance games. He represented North Devon schools' under-15's last season, and is currently playing for the Devon under-16 side.

Sam Dicken: (Striker): Another from Newton Abbot, Sam celebrates his 16th birthday in December. A strong striker of considerable potential, Sam is a relatively late entrant into Argyle's set-up, joining the Centre of Excellence two years ago. Another to make his youth debut as a substitute in this summer's pre-season friendly at Arsenal, he has yet to appear for the Pilgrims' under-18's in a competitive game. Also featured prominently in the successful Torbay schools' under-15 team last season and is now in the Devon under-16 team.

Isaac Vassell: (Striker): From Newquay and just 16, Isaac attends Tretherras School. Isaac first became involved with the Pilgrims six years ago via the former PAYD Development Centres at Newquay and then St Austell before being promoted to the club's Advanced Development Centre at Bodmin a year later. The following year he moved up to the Centre of Excellence in Plymouth. Vassell marked his youth team debut in their pre-season friendly against Reading by scoring one of Argyle's two goals, and also came on as a substitute at Cardiff. He has yet to play in a competitive match, being regarded by Mike Pejic as a potential late-developer. Last season, Isaac played for West Cornwall schools' under-15's and is now a member of Cornwall's under-16 squad.

Jared Sims: (Striker): From Truro and 16 earlier this month, Jared is a pupil at Penair School. Following a similar path to Isaac Vassell via the Centres at Newquay, St Austell and Bodmin, Jared too was promoted to Argyle's Centre of Excellence four years ago. This campaign, after making substitute appearances for the youth team in friendlies at Arsenal and Reading, he now has one start and two substitute appearances to his credit in Youth Alliance matches. In schools' representative football, he too played for West Cornwall under-15's last season and now in the Cornwall county under-16 team.

Jamie Richards: (Defender): Jamie is from Newton Abbot and the youngest to be promoted to the apprentice ranks, not being 16 until next June. Jamie is a student at South Dartmoor Community College, Ashburton. Originally from Essex, he was on Southend United's books for a few months before moving to Devon and joining Argyle when still only nine. Usually either a centre-back or left back, Jamie played the whole 90 minutes in his Argyle youth team debut, the eye-catching pre-season victory over Manchester City, before going onto impress in the Northern Ireland Milk Cup. He has, so far this season, made one start and one substitute appearance for the Greens' under-18's in competitive games. Last season he was one of the stars of the Torbay schools' under-15 team that enjoyed a good run in the English Schools' Trophy competition, and is currently playing for Devon at under-16 level.