YORK City manager Jackie McNamara is hoping teenage trio Callum Rzonca, Nick Kennedy and Tyler Walton will become “surprise” first-team options next season.

McNamara has expressed an intention to blood the club’s own youngsters rather than turn to the loan market when gaps need to be plugged during the club’s 2016/17 National League campaign.

He will also be closely monitoring the progress of the club’s fledgling players for senior consideration during reserve-team fixtures with second-string football returning to Bootham Crescent for the first time in six years.

Winger Rzonca, 19, made two substitute appearances for the Minstermen at Swansea and Newport under Russ Wilcox last season as a first-year professional.

He didn’t feature after McNamara took over the managerial reins in November and finished the season by playing nine times on loan for relegated Northern Premier League top-flight outfit Stamford, but the City boss went on to offer the former Huddersfield and Barnsley academy winger a contract extension.

Striker Kennedy, 18, has agreed first-year pro terms with City, becoming the only member of last season’s second-year scholars to be retained following Ben Godfrey’s switch to Norwich City.

Walton, meanwhile, has been given a chance by McNamara after playing for City juniors as a trialist, while studying at Leeds College.

The 17-year-old midfielder also featured in the reserves’ North Riding Cup defeat to Guisborough last term.

Stressing his willingness to give youth a chance, McNamara said: “Hopefully, we can get one or two young surprises who are ready and can handle the expectations if you throw them in the deep end because, ideally, I don’t want loan players unless something exceptional comes along.

“There will be expectations, though, because we are a big club at this level, regardless of budgets. You need the right mentality to handle that and any setbacks, so that everybody is able to push on together.”