Inverness Caledonian Thistle have made an important piece of club history by signing nine players for their new SPL under-19 team for next season.

This is the largest full-time recruitment the club has ever made at one time from their age group sides -- and five of the players first joined Caley Jags in their under-10s team!

Seven of the new signings are from the Highlands, with four from Inverness , while the outsider is highly rated 17 year old striker Calum Dingwall, who has been two and a half years at Tulloch Caledonian Stadium since signing from Lewis United Boys Club.

The youngest new recruit is 15-year-old Inverness midfielder Liam Polworth, son of Clach manager Iain Polworth, a former Aberdeen and Caley player. Liam was capped for Scotland at under16-level last season.

There are three 16 year olds -- striker Kyle White from Nairn, defender Jack Sutherland from Drumnadrochit and midfielder Martin Laing from Inverness.

Goalkeeper Robbie Donaldson from Carrbridge is joined by two 17 year old Inverness starlets, striker Adam MacLeod and midfielder Andrew Greig plus defender Tom Smith, from Dornoch, who is also 17.

When the club was relegated, it became outwith the SPL Under-19 League but winning the First Division has re-opened that door for bright youngsters. Manager Terry Butcher has appointed former Celtic, Caley, Clach and Nairn County player Scott Kellacher as the new Under-19 team coach.

Butcher said:"I've seen many of these lads play in reserve and age group matches and it's clear there is genuine quality in this group, who have benefited from excellent coaching. The fact that it is Highland-dominated is extremely encouraging and very much in line with the club's long-term strategy of bringing the cream of local talent through to the first team.

"Maurice Malpas and I will be keeping tabs on these lads in action at SPL youth level and there may be the opportunity of a first team runout at some stage of the season." Charlie Christie , head of youth development, said:"It's a massive boost to the youth development department as it shows all our young players that there is a great opportunity to them if they work hard enough. We have a total of 130 lads from the ages of 8 to 17 working regularly with our team of age group coaches."

"It is hugely pleasing for me personally as I took seven of these youngsters to the club -- six of them have been with us from the ages of eight and nine. So for them now to sign full-time contracts as SPL Under 19 players underlines that our system is working well -- and that the genuine talent is here in the North.

"The timing is perfect as these lads have developed just in time for our return to the SPL Under-19 league. Now they have the target of following Grant Munro, a local boy who came to this club at 14 years of age and who is now club captain. I would dearly love to see two or three from this group emulating Grant's rise. The chance is now there for them."

Club chairman George Fraser said:"We are very much a club with strong community roots and that is reflected in our significant investment in, and commitment to, youth development. All those associated with our various age group teams -- and their parents and families -- can feel satisfaction that these signings show the route to the first team is now more clearly established than ever."

The club's youth development coaches are Charlie Christie, Fiona McWilliams, Ronnie Duncan, Craig Masterton, Jake Inglis, Calum MacAulay, Duncan Shearer, Martin Bell, Graeme MacDonald, Tommy Wilson, Gary Munro, Chris Macrae, Ian McArthur, Neil Fraser, Alan Cuthbert and Darren Urquhart.