Southampton Football Club is delighted to announce that Academy duo Ryan Seager and Dominic Gape have signed professional contracts at St Mary’s.

The duo have been regulars in the Under-18 side this season, and have both also gone on to play for the Under-21s with accomplishment.

17-year-old Seager is coming to the end of his first year as a scholar in the Academy whilst Gape, 18, has taken big strides this term having captained Jason Dodd’s team for much of the campaign.

Gape was also on the bench for our Capital One Cup game against Sheffield Wednesday last September, and has been involved in a number of First Team training sessions this season.

Seager and Gape will both be presented to the crowd ahead of Saturday’s Barclays Premier League game with West Bromwich Albion, which they will attend with their families.

Seager has been with the club since the age of eight and was developed through our highly successful Bath Academy. He has made great strides this season scoring 20 goals for the Under-18 team and also featuring for England at Under-17 level.

Dominic has also been with the Academy since the age of eight and has made great progress in that time. His leadership qualities, technical ability and determination have been the driving force of his success.

Gape's performances have seen him progress into the Saints Under-21 squad in recent weeks, starting three of their last four games.

Both players have shown tremendous commitment on and off the field over many years, so we would like to thank the boys and their families for all their desire, hard work and trust in the Club and wish them every success with us as they begin their professional careers.

Saints Under-18s coach Dodd paid his own tribute to them both, with special praise for his top scorer Seager.

Dodd said: "What makes his goal record more remarkable is that he’s probably played more than half of the games this season as a number seven or eleven and not as a number nine, because we’ve been challenging him in different positions.

"In theory we’ve hindered Ryan a little bit by playing him out of position at times but it’s because he knows what to do. He adds a little something different and has been absolutely fantastic considering he’s a first-year scholar.

"Dominic again has been a star man. He’s always positive and that’s what you want. He’s had that mentality to go and do it – he doesn’t shy away, he gets in there, and he thoroughly deserves to get his contract.

"I’d be really disappointed if he doesn’t make the progression from the Development group into the First Team now because he’s trained with them, and they really like him.

"Dom’s got to continue the little curve that he’s on because he has been absolutely fantastic for us."