ORIENT youngsters Loick Pires and Solomon Shields have been handed their first professional contracts.

The youth team duo, who are both 18, have signed one-year deals at Brisbane Road as they aim to make the step up from under-18 to senior football.

Shields, a central midfield player, already has an Orient first team appearance to his name, having come on as a substitute in the 3-1 defeat to Huddersfield Town on the last day of last season.

Pires, a left winger, is yet to make his senior debut but has been a regular for the club's reserve side for the last two years.

Manager Martin Ling said: "We're delighted that Loick and Solomon have become the latest players to come through the ranks to sign pro contracts here.

"They were the number one and two from the second year scholars and they will now be in and around the first team squad for the next year.

"It's the first rung on the ladder of their professional careers and I'm sure they can be successful here at Leyton Orient."

Fellow second year scholars Jack Page, Tom Kemp, Scott Grange, Frankie Webb and Henry Atu have been told that they will not be offered pro deals.

A decision on central defender Chris Robson's future will be made at the end of the season as he has only just returned from a long-term injury.