Boss Jim Magilton has revolutionised Town's ballboy arrangements for the new season. From last Saturday, academy schoolboys were employed in the role and were encouraged to keep an eye on and learn from the senior team members playing in their positions.
The ballboys at the end the Blues were defending are backline players there to watch and get tips from the likes of Jason De Vos and Alex Bruce. At the other end of the field, the performances of Alan Lee and Pablo Couñago came under scrutiny from the sidelines.
In addition to this innovation, academy scholars are carrying and distributing the drinks for the first team on match days so they can experience life around the senior side and on the bench.
On Saturday, young midfielder Jai Reason and first-year scholar keeper Lewis Ward fulfilled the roles, but a different pair of young players will be used for each home game.
Jim Magilton has brought in a number of innovations in his year-and-a-bit as boss with training sessions now set for afternoons to replicate kick-off times, while pre-season started earlier than usual but with a slower start as the players built towards full fitness.
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