Blues boss Paul Jewell says he’ll still be looking to win matches in the final weeks of the season despite intending to blood youngsters and give one or two fringe players a chance. Midfielder Byron Lawrence, 16, is amongst those who could be involved during the season’s remaining fixtures, although has not made the trip for today's game against Crystal Palace.
Jewell says he’ll still be looking to put out a competitive side in those matches: "I’ve said before I want to be respectful of people.
"The supporters have been terrific again this season and they’d like to see one or two youngsters in the team, and I understand that and they might well see one or two youngsters. But by the same token, we still want to win the matches.”
Places in the side will have to be won, Jewell insists: "Just because they haven’t played doesn’t mean that they’re just going to get a game. There are a lot of players who want to play who haven’t played a lot of games recently — Luke Hyam, Josh Carson.
"There are a lot of players who are keen to get in the team who haven’t got games. We haven’t got 10 youngsters who are going to set the world alight. It’s OK people saying ‘Throw the kids in’, the youngsters have got to earn that right to get in the team.”
We understand Lawrence will not be involved at Palace with his senior debut perhaps coming in either of the two home games against Birmingham and Millwall. Young defender Joe Whight was also not included in the first team party which travelled yesterday, the left-back taking part in the post-match presentations after the U15s match against Manchester United at Portman Road last night.
Striker Nathan Ellington has started only one league game this season, in addition to 14 sub appearances and two cup starts, and is yet to score a Town goal.
Jewell admits that his former Wigan player hasn’t been given too much of an opportunity but says the 30-year-old hasn’t shown enough on a day-to-day basis at Playford Road: "Nathan Ellington hasn’t had much of a look-in.
"He’s been given limited chances, to be fair to Duke. I see him every day in training and he hasn’t done enough otherwise he would have had a chance.
"I know what he’s been capable of and over the last couple of years he hasn’t shown that. He’s shown flashes and glimpses at times, but it hasn’t been enough.
"It’s been a stop-start season and he’s had a few little niggly injuries as well. The ball’s in the player’s court really.”
Jaime Peters, who like Ellington has another year left on his contract, has similarly been overlooked this season with the Canadian’s only appearance a start in the Carling Cup defeat to Northampton in August.
The 24-year-old, who spent a spell out on loan at Bournemouth late last year, is currently sidelined with a thigh strain.