Carlisle United have selected eight players as their latest intake of scholars ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
The eight players who have made the step up are Ben Aaron, Finley Boertien, Harry Cairns, Dan Miller, Kai Muldoon, Brad Robinson, Josh Wade and Nathan Wheatley.
The name that stands out is Boertien, the Carlisle-born son of former Blues defender Paul, who signed for United in 1996 at 17 and was there three years.
Although he only played 17 times for Carlisle in the Football League he was sold to Derby County in March 1999 for £250,000.
He experienced Premier League football at Derby and was there nine years, during which time he played 114 league games, latterly in League One, and then in the renamed the Championship.
A bad injury limited his appearances towards the end of his time at Derby and he was never the same player afterwards, although he did play 51 times for Walsall and then 50 for Burton Albion in League Two.
The young Boertien has been with the Academy since under-9 level and plays in central midfield.
Goalkeeper Robinson, 16, is Carlisle-born and joined the Academy at under-12 level while Cairns, 15, and Miller, 16, are defenders and also hail from Carlisle.
The midfield group also includes Aaron, 16, and Muldoon, 16. Crawley-born Aaron joined the Academy at under-16 level and primarily plays in central midfield, while also being capable of operating at centre-back.
Newcastle-born Muldoon joined at under-15 level and operates as a central attacking midfielder.
The attackers in the new group are Carlisle-born left winger Wade, 16, who joined the Academy at under-9 level, and Hartlepool-born striker Wheatley, 16, who has been with the club since under-15 level.
Academy Manager, Andy Lowe said: “Earning their place is a testament to the dedication, commitment, and potential each player has shown throughout their journey so far.
“Our focus is on helping every scholar develop not only as a footballer, but as a person. We want to create an environment where they can challenge themselves, learn from setbacks, and build the values that will serve them both on and off the pitch.”
