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.”

Photo: Action Images

jonbull88 added 09:09 - Aug 26 Yet more moaning!!!!! Byron has made one yes one sub appearance nearly 3 years ago! He isn't up to the standard, please everyone bothered by this take off your blue tinted glasses and stop using it as a way of bashing mick. He will go on to be a good non league player. Seriously all these young players who people go on being the next best thing, how many have actually made it to above town for a prolonged period??

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roytheboy added 09:20 - Aug 26 Very entertaining about the Tea Lady Suffolk n good, it made me chuckle, however it does capture the point that many supporters have been making regarding MM dispensing with young talented players, I know some people didn't see it the same way as I did but I was totally disappointed with Mick for the way he has treated Paul Taylor, whatever he has done or not done away from Portman Road should not be held against this very talented footballer whilst at the club, in my opinion.

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jas0999 added 09:26 - Aug 26 Yet another option out. That's 5 recently, just one in. All this despite the Cresswell money. Very poor stuff.
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tomitfc added 09:39 - Aug 26 I'm getting increasingly fed up with the constant negative news coming out of PR.
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TractorBoy666 added 09:55 - Aug 26 Are we going to end up like Blackpool soon? Increasingly worrying that no one else is coming in, wake up MM.
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Bluetone added 09:59 - Aug 26 Will no one rid us of this troublesome man(ager??) McHoofy go now while the club can still be rescued.
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kesgrave_bluey added 10:09 - Aug 26 Lucky for Byron, he might get to a football club that has a youth policy and an up to date way of playing. As MM has shown, we can't be bothered with a youth when you can loan a unfit injured and past it journeyman.
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Tractamatt added 10:09 - Aug 26 Just heard from a largely reliable source that collision has gone to Millwall Phil, any way we can confirm this?
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kesgrave_bluey added 10:10 - Aug 26 Jack Collinson back with QPR.
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BlueMachines added 10:13 - Aug 26 Anyone who thinks this is the worst football they've ever seen is clearly very new to Portman Road. I am not a fan of the negativity we are currently producing but I'd take it over the team under Paul Jewell every time with fail. Now that was bad.
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BlueMachines added 10:16 - Aug 26 Anyone who thinks this is the worst football they've seen is clearly very new to Portman Road. I am not a fan of the MM negative tactics but I'd take it every time over what we produced under Paul Jewell.
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Tractamatt added 10:23 - Aug 26 Kesgrave bluey: How sure are you about this? because my source is absolutely certain.
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kesgrave_bluey added 10:30 - Aug 26 I think you're right tractamatt. What a miss?
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pegasus added 10:31 - Aug 26 As Bob Dylan sang in 'Ballad of a Thin Man': something is happening here But you don't know what it is Do you, Mister Jones?
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Lightningboy added 10:38 - Aug 26 So Lawrence would bring less to the midfield than Skuse?..Wow,then it really is time to move him on Mick.
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BarbelBoy added 10:40 - Aug 26 Very amusing comment Suffolk n Good but let's just pause for a breath and consider things logically for a moment. It is surely inconceivable that MM hasn't got a number of loans or permanent signings already lined up. No manager, let alone one of his experience, would run down their squad so near to the close of the transfer window without having replacements in line. Until now MM has conducted his transfer business in secrecy right up until the new signing is paraded at a press conference. That's how I for one prefer it. I hated those days of PJ telling anyone who would listen that we'd put offers in here and there and that a signing was imminent only to feel let down when nothing actually transpired. So, let's keep our faith in MM and our fingers crossed that in a couple of weeks time there are some exciting new faces at Portman Road.

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kesgrave_bluey added 10:46 - Aug 26 I'd take jewel or keane over MM's zombie football
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ArnieM added 10:48 - Aug 26 I see EADT reports that Collison is in talks with Town regarding signing.
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kesgrave_bluey added 10:52 - Aug 26 what sort of management waits for the last week of the transfer window and then goes and outs players one by one telling them they're not good enough and to clear off. these are the tactics of Kim Jong-un. what sense does it make when we can end up in the bottom 3 in the next week without anyone to switch it around.
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Suffolk_n_Good added 10:55 - Aug 26 Lol! Thank you to those that appreciated my attempt at humour, I think I posted it out of frustration more than anything, as others have said the squad is almost being run down, I just don't see how we can operate on such a small squad, the signings we have made so far, don't appear on the face of it to be able to offer much in return: Parr injured, Stewart injured, Bru doesn't appear to be any better than back up, likewise with Bajner, are these any better than those we've let go out on loan?? Taylor pace, Marriott young & raring to go, Wordsworth can create, Cresswell sold for cash, but where is it?? I know it's still early in the season, but can't help but feel we are weaker now than the team that finished last season, even our normally reliable back line has the jitters!! Something's got to change, & quickly before our season is over before it's begun......

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bluemikey100 added 11:25 - Aug 26 byron your good lad good on the ball eye for a pass play footy the right way no future here on your way son to exciting for town
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StowTractorBoy added 11:35 - Aug 26 I really wonder how many of you 'moaners' would be bashing MM today had we won on Saturday - probably very few. Be very careful what you wish for not many other Managers will be able to achieve what MM has on such a shoestring budget. We are a mid size Club not a big Club who have done remarkably well to stay in the top two tiers of English football for over 50 years unlike many so called big Clubs. Lawrence clearly is not good enough Wordsworth had no passion and had many chances to shine and failed and Taylor although I really like his style of play is clearly not in MMs plans for reasons I think a lot of us know.,

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daniel9624 added 11:36 - Aug 26 Here's what I'm not understanding. MM seems to be trying to encourage Luke Hyam to get further forward, and to be more offensive minded. But at the same time is releasing players who can perform this function without changing their game. Why not allow LH to function as he has done for the last few years, doing the dirty work in front of the back four (a bit like Gareth Barry for everton) allowing the player makers, of which we are lacking, to attack and create opportunities. Dispense with Skuse, Tabb, and Murphy, bring in Bishop, Henshall, and Marriot and let them have some time to bed in and make the roles their own.

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Tractamatt added 11:36 - Aug 26 Arnie M: I really hope I''ve been given duff info as this could be the sort of signing that could help change a season and lift spirits
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 11:42 - Aug 26 Very sad to see our young players leave, but I imagine MM must have taken Bryan Klug's assessment of Lawrence into serious consideration before making this decision, and there is a man who knows.
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