Players Get Their Chance Here
Wednesday, 31st Jul 2013 06:05

Current first teamers Tommy Smith and Luke Hyam both came through the academy, the centre-half signing at 16 when he left school in New Zealand and the midfielder joining as an 11-year-old while a pupil at Northgate High School.

Smith says the greater likelihood of playing first team football at Town was part of the reason he chose to join the academy: “Definitely, that was a major factor in me signing for Ipswich, I knew the history of players coming through and getting a chance.

“If you go into a top Premier League club, your chances are very limited. You don’t see players coming through, they usually have to go elsewhere to continue their development, whereas at Ipswich you’re pushed through right from the start.

“If you’re good enough as an U16 you’re playing in the U18s and the the reserves. You’re always getting pushed through and that can only benefit the players.”

Hyam concurs: “It doesn’t matter where you’re from, where you live or whatever, as long as you’re good enough Ipswich will give you a chance.

“If you look at some of the players who join bigger teams at 15 or 16 from a lower league team they often drop back through the leagues.

“Sometimes it’s better to stay put and get your games in and at somewhere like Ipswich you’ll get a chance, you’ll get games and hopefully your career will progress.”

Smith says Town’s Playford Road training ground was another reason he chose to move to Suffolk: “The facilities are top notch, they have been ever since I first came here at 14 years old. It was obviously a big factor as well.

“If parents come here and look at the facilities, they’ll think ‘I want my kid playing here’ and that can only be a good thing.

“The coaching is top notch as well. Bryan Klug was the academy director when I first came over. The coaching he provides is top drawer and there are a lot of young players who have come through the academy and who are now coaching here as well and have the same philosophy of trying to play football.”

He says the club seemed a friendly place when he made those early visits: “My parents came over when I was coming over on trial and they had a look around and the club was very accommodating.

"They looked after them, invited them in for a cup of tea and a general chat about the place. There’s a real family feel about the club, which was a big factor.”

Hyam says that with several current or ex-academy players in or around the first team squad, that feel extends into the senior squad these days: “It’s like a big family, the first team. It works its way up from the U18s, and even down to the U16s, there’s a family feel.”

That spirit was illustrated recently when the academy players with the senior squad for the first time during the training trip to Ireland — Kyle Hammond, David October, Amir Berkane and Mark Timlin - each sang a song in front of the first team.

“That’s a little camaraderie thing to try and embarrass them a bit,” Smith laughed. “Even those sorts of things build character.

“It takes some bottle to get up in front of the first team and sing a song! That’s a character builder and that’s another stage of development.”

Hyam added: “Those players and Byron Lawrence have done really well in pre-season and they feel like they’re part of the first team, even though they’re 17 or 18 years old.”

Regarding the season ahead, the pair are itching to get going: “Can’t wait,” said Smith. “You get your fitness in in pre-season and once that last pre-season game is out of the way the focus changes straight to Saturday and I’m really excited about it.

“We’ve got a good squad now, a balanced squad in all positions, which we haven’t really had in previous seasons, so there’s a really optimistic feeling about the place.”

TWTD is an academy sponsor, read more about the Academy Association here.

Photo: Action Images

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jabberjackson added 07:02 - Jul 31 Lets hope they will sing "we are the champions" next april
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Mark added 07:51 - Jul 31 Smith's right, as we have seen young players before move to the Premier League and then not develop as they should, Wickham being the most recent example. Ipswich with a Grade 1 Academy is the perfect place for a good young player to be.
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