Town boss Roy Keane says he has no need to sign a replacement for Alex Bruce as he already has one in the shape of Wales U19 international Troy Brown. The 19-year-old central defender was the Blues’ man of the match in Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat to a Spurs XI, a performance typical of his displays in pre-season.
Keane says that the 6ft 1in tall centre-half has what it takes to replace Bruce, who recently joined Leeds, having made his first team debut as a sub in the final day defeat to Sheffield United last season: "We don’t need a replacement for Alex, we don’t need one. Troy’s impressed everybody this pre-season and we let Alex go for a reason.
"On Tuesday night he was the best player on the pitch from our point of view, Tottenham had some very good players. He has a very good habit for a defender of being in the right place at the right time.
"A lot of players get there when the ball’s gone but Troy seems to get there at the right time, which is a very good habit to have.”
London-born Brown recently signed a new one-year contract, having joined the Blues last summer after impressing both former manager Jim Magilton and then Keane during a trial after being released by Fulham’s academy.
Photo: James Ager