Midfielder Luke Hyam could find himself sent out on loan to a lower league club at the start of next season. Manager Paul Jewell feels that the 19-year-old, who signed a new one-year contract earlier in the week, would benefit from a spell playing regularly in League One or League Two.
Jewell says Hyam, who be believes is perhaps a more versatile player than even he realises, needs to play matches at this stage of his career: "I think he’s a holding midfield player but there’s a bit more to his game than he probably gives himself credit for. We need to get him some games.
"Ronan Murray’s gone out on loan and enjoyed the experience of playing week-in and week-out, rather than just playing in the reserves once every three or four weeks, which can be the case here.
"I always like to get young players out on loan - Reggie Lambe’s gone to Bristol Rovers as well. It might not be as comfortable as it is here, but it’s real football and in terms of their education it will make them better players.
"I would never be against Luke going out on loan at the start of next season to get some experience.”
The ex-Northgate High School pupil is yet to feature under Jewell having made 11 starts and two sub appearances during Roy Keane’s time in charge. The new Blues boss says Hyam has lost out due to Connor Wickham and Josh Carson having become regulars: "He’s always been in and around the squad.
"We’ve blooded a couple of youngsters this season, but you can’t play too many of them and we were involved in a bit of a relegation fight at the start and then we went on a bit of a roll.”
"He’s one of those players that I think will blossom next season. Maybe we can get him out on loan, I know he’s played a few games in the first team, but he needs to go and play regularly to know what it’s about.
"He’s only 19, only a youngster,” he continued. "But at the same time you have to be careful because they’re seen as youngsters and all of a sudden they’re 22 and still haven’t played any games.
"We want to have them hungry which is why we’ve offered some of them six-month contracts, which might not sound great for them, but we’re trying to send out the message to them that we don’t want them to be too comfortable. We want it to be a great workplace but sometimes I think it can be a little bit too easy.”
Jewell says more of the first and second-year pros have agreed their deals but have not yet formally signed: "I think most of them have spoken with agents or have agreed with Simon Clegg that they’re going sign. But at the end of the day it’s the same with them [as it is for the senior players] — it’s their prerogative to say no.
"There are some good young players here but also if they want to go [then it’s up to them]. When they look at what’s available and how tough it is out there, it’s a tight financial market we’re in at the moment and I don’t think there will be many clubs in the Championship spending much money next year, other than maybe Leicester.
"It’s getting tougher and tougher for players, certainly younger players who haven’t played many games.”
With Town having a few injuries, Hyam could be involved in the last couple of games, as might Jaime Peters, Shane O’Connor and Brian Murphy. Peters and O’Connor have featured only very briefly under Jewell, while Murphy has been out injured since the change of manager.
Jewell said: "Jaime Peters played against Millwall but hasn’t featured since then. Shane O’Connor’s been injured quite a bit — he dislocated his shoulder and he had a problem with his hamstring.
"We’ll see. They might well come into contention, they might not. We’ll have to wait and see."
The Town boss says the trio are not out of his plans: "Two of them are in contract and the other we’ve offered a contract to, so that must tell you something.”
Jewell is set to tell Bermudian winger Reggie Lambe where his future lies in the next few days: "I spoke with Reggie’s agent on Wednesday and I need to have a chat with Reggie. He’s doing quite well at Bristol Rovers and I think he’s enjoying it.
"These young players find out what it’s really like to play real football down in the lower leagues, it’s good for their education. I’ll speak to Reggie in the next week and let him know what our decision is.”