Dan Pike has been rewarded for his fine season for Rovers Under-23s with a new contract – one of six Academy prospects to agree new deals.

Pike was one of several scholars handed one-year deals by the club last season, but having been included in three first-team squads and clocked up 22 appearances for the Under-23s, has seen the offer of a new deal forthcoming.

The right back has trained regularly with the first-team, winning praise from manager Tony Mowbray, as well as being a regular in Billy Barr’s Under-23s side, starting 19 of their 24 Premier League 2 fixtures.

Gibraltar international Louie Annesley has also penned an extension along with Sam Barnes, and Rovers are likely to seek loan moves for the pair next season, after being regular figures within the Under-23s set-up for some time.

First-year pros Jalil Saadi and Sam Durrant have also signed up for next season, as has striker Sam Burns who ended last season in fine form, scoring seven times in the final 11 games of the campaign.

They join Joe Hilton, Jordan Eastham, Antonis Stergiakis, Isaac Whitehall, Joe Nolan, Luke Brennan, Jake Vale and Connor McBride in being contracted for at next season.

Mike Sheron’s Under-18s side enjoyed an excellent 2021, losing just once in their last 11 fixtures, and that has seen five players offered professional contracts.

Rising star Jake Garrett had already agreed pro terms with the club, and has been joined by Lenni Cirino who has made an excellent impact for the Under-23s at left back.

Goalkeeper Aidan Dowling, central midfielder Jared Harlock and attackers Zak Gilsenan and Alex Baker have also signed their first professional contracts with Rovers.

They will be aiming to become a fixture in Barr’s side next season.

Meanwhile, Joe Ferguson and Brandon Lonsdale, who both missed much of the 2020/21 season due to injury, have had their scholarship registration extended into a third year.