Former Carlisle United youth striker Nic Bollado has been handed a chance by League Two club Stockport County.

The teenager, who was released by the Blues at the end of last season, has joined the Hatters' 'emerging talent' group.

Bollado made a first-team breakthrough at Brunton Park last season but was not offered professional terms at the end of his two-year scholarship.

He now joins the club who were beaten in last season's League Two play-off final by Carlisle.

County announced 18-year-old Bollado's arrival as one of five young recruits for their development group.

He joins former Stoke youngster Taylor McMahon, ex-Wolves kid Ackeme Francis-Burrell, former Fleetwood prospect Sam Bird and former Bournemouth teenager Josh Popoola in signing for Stockport.

Stockport's head of emerging talent, Joe Monks, says Bollado and the others were "identified after a thorough recruitment process held this summer."

He added: "We have identified players we believe have the potential to play for our first team in the future.

“Each of their pathways to the first team now will be unique, but they have an opportunity with us to develop their ability and hopefully in the coming years push themselves into the manager’s plans.

"All of them have a good grounding, having previously played in academy football, and some have already gained experience in men’s football which we feel is vital for their development”

“We will now work with each of them to ensure they have the right development plan for them to get to the first team squad. We look forward to working with them this coming season.”

Bollado impressed in United's youth team and was promoted to the first-team squad by Paul Simpson last season.

He made four first-team appearances, including a Football League debut against Newport County last September.

Stockport say their emerging talent programme consists of players between 16 and 20, acting as a "bridge between the academy and the first-team, providing the best individual progression plans to allow players to develop into contenders for the first team."

Bollado is the second teenager released by the Blues to find a new Football League club, after young pro Sam Fishburn joined Fleetwood Town's development squad this summer.