Lee Clark turns to youth to bolster Kilmarnock squad
Kilmarnock have announced six new signings plus several loan arrivals - and only one of them is aged over 21.
Kilmarnock have announced six new signings plus several loan arrivals - and only one of them is aged over 21.
Manager Lee Clark has turned to youth as he rebuilds the club following their brush with relegation by snapping up a host of players from England.
Clark has signed 19-year-old Newcastle defender Jamie Cobain, who spent time on loan with Sheffield United last season, while another former Blades player, Callum McFadzean, is also moving north. The 22-year-old left-winger has represented both Scotland and England at youth level, the former courtesy of a Glasgow-born grandfather.
Striker Souleymane Coulibaly arrives from Peterborough. The 21-year-old was top goalscorer at the 2011 Under-17 World Cup while playing for the Ivory Coast.
Clark has also signed 21-year-old right-winger Jordan Jones, who has had loan spells at Hartlepool and Cambridge, from Middlesbrough.
The former Newcastle and Sunderland midfielder returned to the north-east of England again to sign 20-year-old central midfielder Martin Smith from the Stadium of Light.
Another 20-year-old, Joshua Webb, comes in from Aston Villa. The defender has represented England at under-18 level.
Clark has also signed two 20-year-olds on loan from former club Huddersfield. Flo Bojaj is an Albanian striker and Will Boyle is a central defender who has had several loan spells with York.
Both loan signings were announced on the Killie and Huddersfield websites but the Ayrshire club had earlier issued a press release announcing three different loan signings which they have not confirmed online.
They are 20-year-old Middlesbrough defender Jonathan Burn; 19-year-old Stoke centre-back Mark Waddington; and 21-year-old Swansea goalkeeper Oliver Davies, who was on loan at Rugby Park last season.
The club also confirmed on their website that central defender Miles Addison was set to extend his contract by three years.
Clark released seven players the day after Kilmarnock's play-off triumph over Falkirk and told another seven they were free to find new clubs, while Craig Slater rejected a new contract offer.