Grays Athletic have confirmed that 16-year-old midfielder Kai Brown has completed his move to the Blues’ academy after his recent trial. There is no fee involved but a Town XI will face the Essex club in pre-season.
A statement on the Bostik Football League North Division side’s website reads: "As many supporters will be aware, our 16-year-old midfielder Kai Brown has been trialing with Ipswich Town either side of Christmas.
"The club is now delighted to announce that Kai has secured a scholarship with the Tractor Boys and will continue his academic and football education with them. He has passed his medical and will move to Portman Road with immediate effect.
"All at Grays Athletic would like to congratulate Kai and pay tribute to the people that have helped him to develop his career. These include our youth coaches, the first team management and, of course, his supportive family.
"Due to our status and level that we play at the club cannot command any fee for Kai, although the discussion regarding future sell-on clauses is ongoing. However, Ipswich Town have confirmed they will come to Parkside in the summer to play our first team in a pre-season friendly.
PLAYER NEWShttps://t.co/vCEtpjRbXQ
— Grays Athletic FC (@GraysAthleticFC) February 1, 2018
"We are proud that Kai joins a long list of players that have secured moves to professional clubs from Grays Athletic FC and we wish him the best of luck with his studies and his football career going forward.”
Central midfielder Brown, who scored for the U18s in their 2-2 draw at Millwall earlier this month, broke into the Grays first team in August when he made his debut as a sub in a 2-0 FA Cup victory over Redbridge.
He has been a regular in their matchday squad since then - he has now made 13 starts and 24 sub appearances in all competitions, scoring once - and is understood to have been tracked by scouts from several Premier League clubs.
Speaking last night, Blues U18s coach Alan Lee said of Brown: "From what I’ve seen he’s a good player, a young lad, he’ll probably take a bit of time to settle in, but he’s definitely someone we can work with.”
Brown's father, Wayne, not the one-time Town player of the same name, was a non-league player with Welling United, Kingstonian, Enfield, Boreham Wood, Harlow and Chesham.
In October 1999, Brown senior, now the deputy assistant commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, scored the winner for Enfield in a 2-1 FA Cup first round defeat of Chesterfield at Saltergate.
Among the players to previously progress from Grays to the game's professional ranks are one-time Blues loanee Aaron Mclean and Michael Kightly, who Town boss Mick McCarthy took to Wolves when manager at Molineux.