Stanley Mills signs a new 3-year contract

What a speedy developer he is -- I was unfamiliar with him just a couple of months ago, and now he's front and center. Kick on, young man!

Thelwell says Frank was impressed with Mills on the summer tour of USA – so let's hope we have a talent on our hands that can be fast-tracked into the first team.

Great news and I wish him all the luck going, in his career. A good attacking midfielder... excellent news!

Going to go to the very top this lad.

Still short of forward players of course, and some dead wood to shift, but from what looked very depressing a couple of weeks ago we can begin to see the squad taking shape.

I hope he is one of a clique of players coming through now who finishes up where we want them to be, in the first-team squad and eventually regulars in the first team.

Best of luck to you, Stanley, and all of your mates.

Too many have promised so much in the academy and Under-23s and never quite progressed when the step up was made.

Hopefully he will be an exception as we desperately need new attacking blood.

If he carries on learning under Frank and his team he will be an outstanding player IMO.

One of the stand-out performers in the U23s last season and didn’t look out of place with the first-team squad in the pre-season.

Feel he has now pushed himself ahead of Tom Davies for a starting spot and will hopefully be a regular on the bench this season.

Good luck, lad. Grasp this opportunity with both hands and hope to see you as a guaranteed starter in the years to come.

I think the signs are good. Best of luck, Stanley.

Looking forward to seeing his progress over the next couple of seasons.

I miss Gravesen, Tim Cahill and Felliani-type characters.

His dad articulate and intelligent? The same Danny Mills who tried to blame Everton fans for all the shenanigans in Paris at the Champions League final?

Yes, spot on there, Danny, because we were unlucky that night against Real... Unbelievable. That said, his lad can't help that and I've heard great things about him. Hope we see a few cameos this season.

He can celebrate with a start against Fleetwood, who I see we've just drawn in the League Cup.

Can't remember where Colin, but just read on a twitter flash that we've switched attention to a Salzburg midfielder because we couldn't agree mutual terms with PSG.

Who knows? Let's see what happens. It wasn't until a few days ago Onana was going to West Ham.

I can think of many other words than “icon” people might use to describe me, you've got the number of letters right, though!

If young Stanley takes after me, the poor lad is doomed to a career of being a lumbering right-back, wishing he could get close enough to his winger to be able to kick him.

I wish him all the luck in the world, he sounds a good character, a word Frank Lampard seems keen on.

Seriously, though, the glimpses we've gotten are pretty exciting. Not often you see a player that young look so eager and confident on the ball. Not a hint of diffidence or timidity. And the talent is obvious.

Much as I like Gordon, Gordon lacks that awareness of when getting into great positions, not aware of that killer pass to a teammate, a bit like Barkley was or Tom Davies, they could take players on, then run down a blind alley.

No doubting Gordon puts 100% in every game, if he could bring that awareness to his game on decision-making, he would be the complete player. Maybe that will come, when he has better players alongside him.

Having Stanley & Seamus (when can we have S&S Right Side?) gunning for his place, Nathan will now have to go all out every single minute in practices and games, which is only good for him and the team!

Good point on Gordon, Brian. I don’t think Anthony has always been the hardest worker, and I’m not sure if he would ever have become a first team regular, if he never attached hard work to his game. To his credit he’s achieved this, so hopefully now he can really start developing the side of his game that has probably always come the most naturally?

Hard work has turned him into a top flight footballer, so if he can now develop his natural talent, then I think Anthony Gordon, has every chance of becoming a top player.

With Lampard seemingly looking to play with wing-backs high up the pitch, Mills has the attributes to provide excellent cover on the right-hand side. Quick, tenacious, determined, with a very good engine and an eagerness to take players on - I think Mills provides decent cover for Patterson, as Seamus Coleman will eventually be given the role of right centre-back (in the three at the back).

Sometimes a player will pleasantly surprise the coaching staff and fellow players with how well they adapt from academy football to senior football, and I think that Stanley Mills is such a player. I look forward to seeing him respond to any opportunities he is given, as something tells me that he's going to continue pleasantly surprising people.

Wonder if his Nan, or possibly Great Nan, was Mrs Mills, who was great on 'the old joanna'? 🤔😜

James MacFadden was tearing his dad a new one. Mills senior then kicked him from pillar to post, out of the game, and we went out on pens after a 0-0 draw.

If he has his father's aggression plus his own blossoming talent and Uncle Peter's brains, we could have a real gem on our hands.

Here's hoping!!

I don’t want to hear "Send him on loan" – we are not at that luxury yet. Case in point: Saturday's game at Villa has nil-nil written all over it but a touch of class gets all 3 points.