Blues boss Paul Jewell says 15-year-old academy schoolboy Byron Lawrence is already pushing for a place in the Town first team. The midfielder, who Jewell compares to Arsenal and England man Jack Wilshere, this week signed a two-year academy scholarship at Playford Road starting next summer.

Jewell says Cambridgeshire-based Lawrence, who was recruited from non-league Histon's youth set-up, is amongst the most promising academy prospects at present: “We’ve got Byron Lawrence, who has trained with the first team and we think is going to be a player.

"We’ve got some good kids who are coming through, first years, some second years. They’re progressing nicely.

“But Byron Lawrence, the lad who was in the squad [for the Carling Cup match] against Northampton, he’s one who is a bright prospect and who reminds me of a Jack Wilshere type player.

“He’s built that way, he uses his body and he’s a clever player. Whenever he trains with the first team he never looks out of place. He could feature this season.”

The Blues manager suggests the youngster, who qualifies to play international football for Italy as well as England, may even be a little cross that he hasn’t already beaten Connor Wickham’s record of making his senior bow at 16 years and 11 days: “Put it this way, if I said to him now ‘you’re a sub at Forest on Saturday’, he’d be a bit annoyed that he was sub.

“That’s his attitude, he takes everything in his stride. He’s a good kid. I think he’ll be a very good player.”

Jewell also cites Joe Whight, who signed a two-year professional contract in the summer, as another who could make the breakthrough this season, although he has competition at left-back: “We’ve got Joe Whight, who I think is going to be a good player. He’s got Cressy and Mark Kennedy ahead of him [at the moment].”

Story syndicated from TWTD.co.uk

Photo: Action Images

Southampton Polls