Inverness Caley Thistle sign up academy trio as Keith Bray, Matthew Strachan and Calum MacKay put pen-to-paper on first professional contracts
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Inverness Caledonian Thistle have given professional contracts to three of the brightest talents in their academy.
Keith Bray, Matthew Strachan and Calum MacKay have signed two-year apprenticeship contracts as they move into full time football for the first time.
Bray, the youngest of the trio, is a central midfielder who was regularly promoted into ICT's under-18s squad last season due to his level of performance.
He is from the small village of Aird in Tong on the Isle of Lewis, and was originally scouted by Inverness as a goalkeeper before establishing himself outfield both in the academy at the Highland capital and at Stornoway Athletic.
Strachan is a versatile defender who can play on the left side of defence or in the centre, and has been in the Caley Thistle system since he was nine years old.
Impressing all the way through the club's age groups, he has made his mark in the Scottish Youth Cup where Inverness reached the semi final before losing to Hearts at Tynecastle, as well as representing a Scottish schoolboys select against Wales, England, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
MacKay is a two-footed central midfielder who has been one of the first names on the teamsheet through the age groups due to his vision and tactical awareness.
He is the younger brother of Daniel MacKay, who recently returned to the Caledonian Stadium, but will be looking to make his own mark in the first team at a similarly young age.
Academy director Charlie Christie, who has overseen the progress all three youngsters have made over the years, said: “Many talented players have been given the opportunity to go full time and there is no doubt that for these three players the hard work starts now.
"Matthew, Keith and Calum are here because they have combined their natural ability with a tremendous attitude and I personally would love nothing more than to see all three play in the ICT first team in the coming years.
"I would also like to congratulate their parents for all their commitment over the years and they should be rightly proud of themselves and their boys.”
All three players are already on the radar of first team head coach Billy Dodds, who added: “ We have no doubt about their attitude or their ability and they will be given every opportunity to develop and flourish.
"The club has a great track record in giving local boys an opportunity and there is no reason why Matthew, Keith and Calum cannot follow in the footsteps of previous academy players and make it all the way to the first team, and I am really looking forward to working with them.”
