Town boss Mick McCarthy has confirmed that midfielder Byron Lawrence can leave the Blues on a permanent basis. The 18-year-old joined League One Colchester United on trial last week.

Lawrence, who joined the academy from Histon as a schoolboy, broke through into the Town first-team squad as a 15-year-old when he was an unused sub in the 2-1 Carling Cup defeat to Northampton in August 2011.

He became the club’s second-youngest first-team player behind Connor Wickham when he came on as a sub aged 16 years and 47 days on the final day of the 2011/12 season in the 3-2 victory at Doncaster, but has not added to that appearance.

“It’s with a view to a permanent move,” McCarthy confirmed. “If he can get a move Byron is available.

“He hasn’t progressed enough to get in the first team. He’s now at that age where if he’s not going to progress into the first team he’s got to go and get something else.”

Lawrence, who is contracted to Town until next June, is set to play for Colchester’s U21s away against Crystal Palace at Tooting and Mitcham today, having impressed U’s academy manager Tony Humes - who occupied a similar role with Town between 2006 and 2009 - during last week’s 0-0 draw at Sheffield United.

"Byron Lawrence played the whole match in our midfield three and was good on the ball,” said the former Blues centre-half.

“He also showed a very good awareness of how we want to play the game here at Colchester United and settled into it extremely quickly.”

Photo: Action Images

Flewitt85 added 06:12 - Aug 26 REALLY? MM I rate him alot, I think his got abit of class about him. He hasn't progressed enough to get in the first team. He's now at that age where if he's not going to progress into the first team he's got to go and get something else.” well mariot (I know thats not how you spell it haha) hasnt really got into the first team, yes his had a couple of games. But I really do hope that mariot isnt next to go!

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muhrensleftfoot added 06:42 - Aug 26 He's probably made the mistake of playing an incisive forward pass to one of the strikers. Guaranteed to get you moved out of Portman Road
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Len_Brennan added 06:59 - Aug 26 There is a sad inevitability about this story. Had really wanted to see Byron make the grade with us, but he obviously knew his days were numbered under MM. Smashing footballer; I wish him well & hope he reaches his potential, just sorry it won't be with our first team.
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stevelincsexile added 07:14 - Aug 26 What is going on, another who can play the game the 'proper' way is discarded, why have an academy MM won't give them a chance and you are right muhrensleftfoot Marriott will be next.
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Suffolk_n_Good added 07:23 - Aug 26 ***STOP PRESS*** Mick Mcarthy has confirmed today that the tea lady is available for loan or permanent transfer, Mcarthy said: "I've made the tea lady available (for transfer), she hasn't progressed quite as we'd hoped, I always have 2 sugars & TC 1, but she doesn't seem to fit with how I wish to play, she's far to creative with how she makes a cuppa, she will use trays, doylees & always makes it in a cup & saucer, that's not me, I'm a mug bloke, for me it's simple, mug, tea bag, hot water, sugar, milk, stir." The 62 year old has been at the club since breaking into the kitchen on a match day nearly 20 years ago, & has wealth of experience, Blues fans will be sorry to see her go, Mcarthy added: "It's all to do with FFP, we have a budget that must be adhered to, so as from today, TC will be taking over all tea making duties"

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Millsey added 07:26 - Aug 26 If he was good enough he'd be in the team. Several others who are better in his age group. Hope he gets something.
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Guthrum added 07:26 - Aug 26 Slightly surprised at this. However, he had rather disappeared off the first-team radar over the last 12 months, rather than pushing his way into the squad. Shame to see another lad go, but not every Youth is going to make it at the highest levels.
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BigAlsMate added 07:29 - Aug 26 Is it me, or is there a pattern emerging here? Another player let go from a paper thin squad, with seemingly no replacements being sought. What the hell is happening to our once proud club? MM has already spoken about no more big signing this side of presumably the January window, and if there are to be any I guess they will only be second rate loan signing with the loanees in question not really having any allegiance to ITFC. We are likely to be in trouble this season I fear.

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GerkensBeard added 07:38 - Aug 26 Just don't get it. What is going on with the transfer dealings lately? And now were about to offload a very talented youngster. Was on the bench at 15, people saying he's the next jack Wilshere, arsenal and Man U wanting him. I can't believe that a players ability can go that far down, I doubt he's really been given a chance. As long as Teddy comes through though. MM prefers him to Byron just like Keane preferred Wickham to Rhodes ;)

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werderbremenblue added 07:49 - Aug 26 As i said before the season even started we have a poor squad and now a very very thin squad how are we supposed to challenge the top teams with this squad or even for promotion. we have £3m from cresswell sitting somewhere which could be used to but 3/4 decent players to supplement the squad. MM seems to be the only person who is failing to see this.
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bluefeast added 07:58 - Aug 26 Have a look at all of the transfer dealings of clubs in our league over the summer. FFP is being by the looks of things followed by circa 4 clubs including us. Derby and Forrest are spending like a prem team as are bournmouth. We are a sham at the moment with players being picked who are not getting results. Hewitt at right back is needed , Parr at left back and then mings and chambers back up centre halves unless we play a 3. Players who want the ball and wish to retain possession need to be brought in. Im so bored of watching us , its so ridiculous that we cannot create more than a couple of chances each game. Last time we played with attacking flair was under magilton. Balance and pace in that team ,wave after wave of attack. Now its hoof and lose possession. Ridiculous.

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tractorkent added 08:03 - Aug 26 of course MM has made him availabe,he does not run around like a headless chicken, how dare Lawrence show composure on the ball and be able to pass it around. I am in the pits of despair.
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Surco72 added 08:05 - Aug 26 He hasn't progressed enough !! He isn't 7ft tall and can pass , he's not for me , if he is a worse player than Tabb he may aswell find some other profession . Good luck Mr Lawrence , as Humes said he showed good awareness of how Colchester want to play the game , not having the ball bypass you whilst you run from box to box and chase the opposition !!
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itfcjoe added 08:07 - Aug 26 Best technical player in the academy, still only 18. Pathetic decision when still under contract for the rest of the season - we'll probably have to pay him off to leave as well.
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Lord_Mac added 08:11 - Aug 26 Seems disappointing at first sight, but may be worth noting that our U21 and U18 teams seem to have started the season well, having been hopeless last season. So could it be that others have come in and stepped up more than Byron has? We can't hold on to every youngster - I wonder what the casualty rate at clubs like Chelsea is? @werderbremenblue - we don't have £3 million sloshing around in a pot from Cresswell waiting to be spent - we have to balance the whole books, not just how much we spend on transfers. If we are spending more on wages than our income allows, and we want to maintain an academy as a whole, then the £3 million has to go to fund it. Having off-loaded most of our high earners from the dark days, we may find this easier going forward, but player sales is one way to manage our finances. The ones who are most likely to do this are young players who have established themselves in our first team and increased in value as a result, such as Cresswell. In the future, Mings might be another, perhaps Hyam, Hewitt. Unfortunately, balancing the books, rather than buying in expensive players and high wage-earners, as the previous two managers did, is making it difficult to be competitive. I think you'll find that, far from being the only person unable to see this, MM is working to a very specific brief to identify the players who we can add value to, and it's very much a part of our business model.

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oldblue added 08:15 - Aug 26 Suffolk n good....that is the most fantastic comment ..you are a legend....
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bedsitfc added 08:24 - Aug 26 Knocking about the first team for a few years but unable to break into it so best thing for itfc is to move him on and yes he is still a kid but mick, Terry and Brian know what they are doing.
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WorcesterBlue added 08:31 - Aug 26 But we want players who show for the ball and then have the ability to do something decent with it and from the bits I've seen Lawrence is one of these. On Saturday we repeatedly had possession (particularly in our half) and other than Mings, Hyam and Didsy, no-one showed for it. Usually only one (often reluctant) option for the pass so result us hoof it up to hapless Murphy. What's the point in developing footballers when you've got long ball coaching dinosaurs like MM and Kennedy stifling any chances of their development?

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nthstd added 08:35 - Aug 26 Raw I disagree with Mick but he's wrong on this one I honestly think he's precisely what we need. Stand on the ball and passes it. He I hope makes a great impression somewhere and I look forward to seeing him play at this level or above. Disappointing decision
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brian_a_mul added 08:37 - Aug 26 Its sad that he hasnt progressed but he obviously isnt good enough at the moment. Im sure the academy and coaching staff have all contributed to this decision. With Hyam in the team for long term and Bishop breaking through, Lawrence is well down the pecking order and he needs to get experience if he is going to fulfil his potential. It would be a good move for him and Im sure we all be will keeing an eye on his progress. Best of luck Byron, hope to see you back in a few years when we are in PL!

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carsey added 08:43 - Aug 26 Another player who wants to play with the ball on the ground and keep possession is shown the door. This is the worst football I have witnessed at Portman Road since I started watching them back in 1975. Until MM leaves it will not change.
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bluenod added 08:49 - Aug 26 Of all these players leaving, how many will we buy back?????????????
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theobald1985 added 08:53 - Aug 26 carsey is completly right this is the worst footie I have known as well and mcarthy will never change. Surco rightly points out humes comment about how colchester want to play the game and lawrence fitting in with that--its sad that our youngsters have to go to Col U if they want to play proper football. Mcarthy out for me
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brittaniaman added 08:54 - Aug 26 Our squad is diminishing fast before our very eyes !!!! We are getting beyond bare bones now Mick ?????? I hope the replacements coming in this week will be up to your standard LOL . because you just simply must not put out the same team against Derby as you did last Sat. please. ???? I see Norwich have added 2 more players to there Huge squad !! I wonder if they have got any left overs... for there poor neighbours !! COYBs !!!!!!!!!!!

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Cakeman added 09:01 - Aug 26 Suffolk n Good, that was an excellent posting, very funny but the way we appear to be heading it may not be far from the truth!
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