Town youngster Luke Hyam has admitted his recent absence from first team action has been a major source of frustration for him.
The 20-year-old midfielder has played a mere 12 minutes — when he was introduced as a late substitute in last month’s 2-1 defeat at Watford — during the club’s last 10 Championship fixtures.
That represents quite a turnaround in fortune for the former Northgate High School pupil after he was in the starting line-up for seven games on the bounce immediately before manager Paul Jewell decided to leave him out.
Hyam, dropped after the 3-0 defeat at Brighton, said: "It has been a bit frustrating these past few weeks but I just have to keep putting in the effort in training and hopefully I will get some game time before the end of the season.
"The manager has been saying I just need to keep working hard to impress in training because he’s watching closely every day and that forms a big part of him picking the team to play in the games.
"I’m not too far away but I’m now looking to at least get on the bench if I’m not going to be in the starting line-up. It would be the same with any player — it’s a dog-eat-dog world out there and with 25 players in the squad it’s obvious that they are not all going to be involved.”
Hyam, who is under contract until the summer of 2013, is quick to point out that he will not over-react to his exclusion.
He added: "I trust the manager and I have faith in him because he is experienced and he has managed at the top level. He knows how to handle young players and what is best for them.
"I am grateful for the fans’ support — I really appreciate it — but they don’t pick the team. That’s the manager’s job and all I can do is try to impress him enough to pick me.
"This close to the end of the season I just want to get involved in some, if not all, the remaining games. Then next season the aim is to come back flying so that I am knocking on his door — not literally — to demonstrate my determination to be a regular choice.”
Hyam, given his debut by former boss Roy Keane on the opening day of last season, has so far amassed 23 league and cup appearances and is still waiting to celebrate his first senior goal for his home-town club.
He said: "Nothing would give me more satisfaction than to be in the side from day one next season and stay there. The manager has reassured me that I have a future here and I believe I have still made progress this season.
"I am working hard to improve. I can only do that if I’m playing and I’ve been doing extra afternoon sessions with the coaching staff at the club to improve my passing and my awareness. Hopefully, it will pay off.”
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