King's Lynn Town continued to build for the future last night by handing contracts to three promising youngsters.

Defender Chris Ward, 20, midfielder George Thomson, 21, and 20-year-old striker Sam Mulready all agreed deals to remain at The Walks until the end of the 2014/15 season.

The talented trio join Ryan Fryatt and Dan Quigley, who both put pen to paper earlier this month, in committing their immediate futures to the Linnets – much to the delight of boss Gary Setchell.

He said: 'It's been hard work but I think it's very important that after the work we've done over the last three years we try to get some sort of longevity, even if it is only a year-and-a-half.

'I spoke to Buster (Chapman, chairman) about it earlier in the season. For me, it's important. There's no budget cuts, no budget increase.

'We've had to do it within what we set last year so it's credit to the players really. They're not obviously gaining much out of it. All they're gaining is that they're going to be playing at this great football club, and hopefully under me, for another 18 months.

'It's important that we keep moving forward. Every year we have improved. And I think all of these younger players we have signed on contracts lately, will keep getting better.'

While Thomson and Mulready are regularly involved in the first-team set-up, reserve-team starlet Ward has only featured for the club's senior side a handful of times. Setchell is likely to send the left-sided player on loan to lower-level Dereham Town – where he has enjoyed experience at Step Four of the non-league ladder already this term – to help aid his progression. The quintet's decision to sign on the dotted line means clubs will have to pay for their services if they wish to prize them away from Norfolk's Step Three outfit.