Town boss Mick McCarthy has confirmed that midfielder Byron Lawrence can leave the Blues on a permanent basis. The 18-year-old joined League One Colchester United on trial last week.
Lawrence, who joined the academy from Histon as a schoolboy, broke through into the Town first-team squad as a 15-year-old when he was an unused sub in the 2-1 Carling Cup defeat to Northampton in August 2011.
He became the club’s second-youngest first-team player behind Connor Wickham when he came on as a sub aged 16 years and 47 days on the final day of the 2011/12 season in the 3-2 victory at Doncaster, but has not added to that appearance.
"It’s with a view to a permanent move,” McCarthy confirmed. "If he can get a move Byron is available.
"He hasn’t progressed enough to get in the first team. He’s now at that age where if he’s not going to progress into the first team he’s got to go and get something else.”
Lawrence, who is contracted to Town until next June, is set to play for Colchester’s U21s away against Crystal Palace at Tooting and Mitcham today, having impressed U’s academy manager Tony Humes - who occupied a similar role with Town between 2006 and 2009 - during last week’s 0-0 draw at Sheffield United.
"Byron Lawrence played the whole match in our midfield three and was good on the ball,” said the former Blues centre-half.
"He also showed a very good awareness of how we want to play the game here at Colchester United and settled into it extremely quickly.”