Town keeper Bartosz Bialkowski has given his seal of approval to the strong group of young keepers coming through at Playford Road. The 28-year-old will be back at his old club Southampton this evening for ex-Blues stopper Kelvin Davis’s testimonial (KO 7.30pm).
While the Polish keeper has spent most of the season going head-to-head with Dean Gerken in a fascinating fight to be Town’s number one, a number of youngsters have been steadily impressing in the background.
Topping the youth bill lately has been Nick Hayes who was drafted in to join team-mates Ben Morris and Andre Dozzell in England U17s squad at the European Championships in Azerbaijan last week, although ultimately without adding to his three caps.
But Harry Wright, son of Richard, who like Hayes has just completed the first year of his academy scholarship, and Jacob Marsden, 19, have also impressed this season, while 20-year-old Michael Crowe, who we understand is set to agree new terms with his current contract up this summer, waits patiently behind Bialkowski and Gerken.
Amid such emerging talent, Bialkowski has revealed the role the two senior stoppers have played while also paying tribute to Town goalkeeping coach Malcolm Webster.
Town’s multi-player of the year award winner said: "We have been working every day with all the keepers. They have been really good, they have good mentality, they always want to work hard and try and improve every day.
"We try and help them during the training sessions. We had a meeting a couple of months ago with them. We talked about football and the pressure of being a goalkeeper. We are trying to help them. It is good for them and very good for the club.”
And of Webster’s role in improving all the keepers at the club, Bialkowski added: "You can talk to him if you have a problem and he will always try and make you a better keeper.
"In training, he will talk about doing something else to improve. He will always pick something and they are things I wouldn’t even think about.
"For example, the technique of kicking into the ball. It is great for me to have that kind of goalkeeping coach at the club.”
Bialkowski previously worked with Webster during his time as a young keeper coming through the ranks at Southampton, where he will be back in action tonight for a Promotions XI in Kelvin Davis’s testimonial.
Davis was with the Blues between July 2003 and June 2005 and signed for the Saints in July 2006 after a year with Mick McCarthy’s Sunderland.
The 39-year-old says tonight’s game will be his last for Southampton but hopes to remain at St Mary’s in some capacity.
Bialkowski says he enjoyed his time with the Saints, having joined them under George Burley’s management in January 2006 before eventually leaving for Notts County in June 2012.
"I have Southampton deep in my heart to be honest because I spent almost seven years there,” he told Saintsfc.co.uk.
"We’ve still got so many friends over there as well, so it’s always nice to come back, and now to finally play at St Mary’s again — I’m really looking forward to it.
"Kelvin is an amazing guy. He’s had a fantastic career there having served the club so well. He’s a true legend and I’m really happy for him.”
Meanwhile, Davis’s former Town team-mate Kevin Horlock has been named the new manager of Ryman North side Maldon and Tiptree.