Saturday marked the dawn of a new era for Preston North End, with manager Alan Irvine describing the first game following safety at home to Ipswich as 'the first game of next season'.

The youth department also offered the PNE faithful a glimpse to the future, as they paraded their new intake of scholars for the 2008/09 season before the game - a group of ten promising starlets who will be hoping to make many more Deepdale appearances down the years.

PNE's head of youth development, Dean Ramsdale, talks us through the new breed who will join the Club this summer as 16-year-olds...

Ben Proctor

"A goalkeeper who has come through our Centre of Excellence programme. He's from Waterfoot, he's 6ft 3" and his predicted height is 6ft 5", he's a giant who is going to be very much in the Andrew Murphy mould so we are looking forward to working with him."

Connor McLoughlin

"He was an Irish schoolboy international, he's from Belfast in Northern Ireland. He's a dominating imposing centre-half who can play as well and he will complement what we already have with regards the second years."

Sam Hart

"He's a Welsh international, he's come through the ranks at the Centre of Excellence, he's from the South Wirral area. He's played a lot of ages up both at international and in our Centre of Excellence programme. Sam's comfortable either on the left-wing or at left-back."

Tom Owens

"Tommo's a Scouser, Liverpool born and bred, a centre-midfielder who is tough tackling, he gets around the pitch and enjoys a tackle so I'm definitely looking forward to working with Tommo."

Scott Davidson

"He's another Irish international and he is one that we have chased for a while. He's from Dundonald in Northern Ireland, he's a very tidy central midfield player, gets about from box-to-box and he likes a tackle."

George Miller

"Gorgeous George has come right through the Centre of Excellence programme. A local boy from Lostock Hall in Preston, George and Sam Hart have already had games for the youth team this season and they've equipped themselves very well. George has always played up, he's very mature for his age and he is a very good central midfield player."

Neil Dougan

"Another Irish international , he's one that we've got from Manchester City. He's from County Down, he's very good on the ball, works tremendously hard. He's only a small lad but he played 90 minutes for the youth team recently in the 3-0 win and he equipped himself very well."

Ryan McGreavy

"Nicknamed the 'Salford Strangler'. Another one that we got from Manchester City, a Salford lad, always scores goals, he's always around things. He played 90 minutes for the youth team the other day and came off with two goals against a very strong Port Vale side."

Jamie Proctor

"He's a boy who came through the Centre of Excellence programme. A local boy from Ingol, he's a good size, nearly six foot. He's one that we've got in who will probably offer us a little bit of something different from what the others will give us."

Jamie Douglas

"Another Northern Ireland international. He's from Cookstown in County Tyrone, he comes with a great pedigree, he's one that I've been chasing all the time that I have been at the Club really, I've known Jamie for about eighteen months now and I am delighted that he's actually signed with us. He's got an injury problem at the moment and he's seeing a consultant but we knew that when we signed him. I would probably think that he will be out for some time in his first season but we are well aware of the problem and he is well worth waiting for because Jamie will score goals for us."