INCREASING the role of local players promoted from Oxford United’s youth system is a key objective for chairman Ian Lenagan over the next season.

It is a decade since the club last had a clutch of youngsters come through and make an impact in the first team.

The set-up was badly hit when the U’s lost their Football League status in 2006 and restoring the academy’s profile has been a long-term priority for Lenagan.

Goalkeeper Max Crocombe and striker Tyrone Marsh are the only players in the existing first-team squad who came through the ranks.

The pair both made debuts this season and have made eight appearances between them.

They will be joined by Dave Lynn, Callum O’Dowda and Sam Long, who signed contracts last week to join the ranks next season.

The group will play regular games in a new development team and supplement the senior players, meaning up to a quarter of the squad will have come through the academy.

Lenagan said: “There is a feel good factor about that and if I were to say I intend that to be seven or eight next year that have come through the academy life becomes easier if you have a whole bunch of talented players coming through.

“Within our new development squad we have an opportunity to bring more of those players through.”

Promoting local links is an important factor for the U’s chairman, who also pointed to the former players on the coaching staff in the form of Mickey Lewis, Andy Melville and Chris Allen – all of whom, like Wilder, are staying at the club.

He said: “When you look at the number of people who have played for Oxford United at a high level and are part of Chris Wilder’s team, it has a lot of Oxfordshire in it.

“That group pushing the first team forward and increasingly having an involvement with the academy.

“We think that’s a very strong team and one of the best in the division.”