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

TomJamesLW added 15:51 - Aug 26 Unless we're going to replace him with someone who is already good enough to start, this is a very poor desicion. Won't be surprised if he's playing against us in a few years.
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Bergholtblue added 15:51 - Aug 26 I can understand people getting upset as yet another youngster leaves and have impatience as no-one comes in to replace him, but keep calm everyone! Whilst the transfer window closes in a week or so, the emergency loan window opens. Premier League clubs will soon have to name their 25 man squads. This is the time when many players become available for loans, some with a view to permanent signings. And before you all shout me down about loans not being the way to go, the loan system is there and should be exploited as best we can. I personally would rather the club wait and get Jonnie Williams back on loan than rashly sign the likes of Garvan, Ambrose or Leroy Lita on a permanent.

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commuterblue added 15:53 - Aug 26 we are just 4 games in right? no different than last year - MM wil always take a point against difficult teams. and we've played 3 teams with massively bigger budgets than us. this same recipe nearly got us into the play-offs last year. what if mcgoldrick hadn't got injured. Sorry but we are not big enough to go and buy cover when big players get injured. when cameron stewart comes back we will have a real winger and a different option. and we might get something more soon anyway.

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battyblue added 16:03 - Aug 26 No confidence in MM what so ever now its quite obvious we are going to struggle to make mid table all those who have posted ...but we have had a tough start well take it from me its going to get a lot tougher i am sick of his poor vision or stubbornness and his crap style of play .MM out asap.
2

nunny97 added 16:19 - Aug 26 So far this season we have probably taken further steps back than forward, having not signed what seems like a decent player, maybe cam stewart when he gets back and now teams know how to play us, think we're really going to struggle to better last season.
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Gcon added 16:28 - Aug 26 Obviously it was disappointing to lose on Saturday. However, I think it's a little shortsighted to be berating MM and calling for his scalp. I am quite sure that he would love to be bringing players like Johnny Williams in to the club. I think the anger is misguided. MM has done a great job. Any frustration should surely be directed at the owner and the management of the club. I am sure MM is as frustrated as many of us but he's doing his best to tow the party line. I don't completely understand FFP but I don't buy it fully as an excuse as I don't see others being penalised. I understand that permitted spending power is determined by the company's profitability but that in itself seems dangerous in the hands of poor management. If you don't improve the squad you won't play better football. If you play poor football you won't get the crowds. If the crowds don't watch the games the club ends up with less turnover and, obviously, diminished turnover leads to less profit and therefore even less spending on players. I feel ITFC is in a precarious place right now. But I, personally, don't think it's fair to lay the blame with MM.

0

riley26 added 16:30 - Aug 26 Obviously Mick is the main man and picks the first team, he sees players in training everyday and passes judgement on whether those players are currently good enough to start, or ones to keep for the future. Apparently Byron is neither, which seems surprising as he has had a lot of praise. When these sort of young players are let go, I'd like to here from the academy staff too, whether their opinions are the same on the players they are working with to develop day in day out.

2

Surco72 added 17:19 - Aug 26 A number of championship sides adding players today , not us though because we don't want to pay them through the international break !!
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jollyroger added 18:02 - Aug 26 I just wonder what Brian klug thinks about all these young players being shown the door ,and what if any input he has with it
5

blueboy1981 added 18:07 - Aug 26 ........ as we continue to weaken - the opposition down the A140 continue to strengthen - never thought I would ever have to say this but :- We are no longer 'The Pride of East Anglia' - by the proverbial mile. The young posters (and there are many) on here , wouldn't begin to understand what that means to people who have supported this Club physically and financially for 40 / 50 years. Not a good feeling I assure you.

9

blueboy1981 added 18:16 - Aug 26 ........ Surco72 - the difference being that most Clubs are looking for Footballers with flair, creativity, ambition - all we seek is Hoofballers who are prepared to be be on the goal line one minute, up front the next, and be able to run through a brick wall in the process. All great stuff hey - problem is it's boring, and produces very few points !!! ....... true McCarthy style.

4

Kirbmeister added 18:19 - Aug 26 How may players that MM has released have been successfull? Thinking of Carson and Emmanuel Thomas we were doubting those decisions but I see JET can't even get in the Bristol City first team. Haven't heard much of Carson either. Time will tell
3

Guthrum added 18:36 - Aug 26 For those suggesting we should put most of the youth team in our League squad, exactly how well did the U21s do last season? Bottom of the U21 Development League 2 South Division! Imagine them up against a seasoned Championship side ...
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commuterblue added 19:11 - Aug 26 blueboy1981. so henshall, stewart and bru are hoofballers? I accept Bajner is a hoofee but suggest that is as much to be fed by crosses from stewart, henshall. Tough start against tough oppo. I see no reason why results won't get better.
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blueboy1981 added 19:25 - Aug 26 commuterblue ............ and how many games are they going to get between them ????
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blueboy1981 added 19:27 - Aug 26 ........... excuses ran dry and exhausted way,way back ........ sorry.
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stantheman added 19:37 - Aug 26 Makes me laugh sometimes on here. Posters make out that because you are a young player at Ipswich you must be a world beater. The one that was let go everyone realised his potential because they had seen it a number of times, but from what I have seen of Byron he never seemed overly gifted. Good luck to the lad though.
1

JWM added 19:41 - Aug 26 Off Topic but apparently the odds have been slashed tonight on Big Mick greeting the gig at Palarse!
0

battyblue added 20:06 - Aug 26 several clubs in the championship have been getting premiership players on loan for the last week or so but MM stated they are not releasing them yet more boll-cks from the man who is always right or thinks he is.
3

commuterblue added 20:45 - Aug 26 just as when he signed berra last year I suspect he will find a way to squeeze his preferred players in if we continue to have an indifferent start. and if bringing those players in raises the attacking game of eg anderson then fine by me too. i don't think andersen provided many crosses last year, but he already provided for berra's equaliser at brum. if MM is so bad, who would you rather have?

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BlueandTruesince82 added 20:55 - Aug 26 This one actually makes sense to me. We need Stewart back though and cover in Midfield. More than cover actually someone good, dount JW will come with Palace as is right now. Jebbe and Williams would be my pick
0

Lightningboy added 21:26 - Aug 26 If we don't have money to spend why aren't we incorporating more of our youngsters into the first team like we did under Burley season after season instead of getting rid without giving them a crack at the first team - especially when we've got one of the best youth coaches in the country in Bryan Klug?. If I had my way i'd have Burley,Magilton & Klug running the club on a very long term plan (i'm talking 10 years not 3 seasons)..they would know what to do and they know what the fans want instead of the constant sticking some bloke in charge cos he's got clubs promoted in the past routine (Keane,Jewell,McCarthy)...we're now stuck with the fear of getting rid of McCarthy cos it may lead to flrting with relegation again..not the long term answer. The tractor seems to have stalled again.

5

karls_dad added 22:22 - Aug 26 Reading through the posts on his thread and others, it would seem that there are many that are now getting fed up with ou current situation and manager, Before MM was appointed there were two main contenders for the position, i was in the minority wanting Holloway! but i really do wish he had been given the position, we would have had entertaining football and and entertaing manager, sadly i have now had enough of MM, his tactics, his performance as amanager, i appreciate his hands are tied on spending, but this is getting more ridiculous by the day, instead of strenghtening our squad we are weakening it to the bare bone,s, MM took a million pound bonus for avoiding relegation in his first season here! one million pounds!! i shudder to think what his salary is! Its time for change sadly, and change quickly before we are the laughing stock of this division, The once pround Ipswich town fc, soon to be POOR old Ipswich Town, have not got a pot to piss in! or a enough players to form a squad!

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Walk_the_Wark added 23:43 - Aug 26 OUT NOW!!!!!
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Walk_the_Wark added 23:50 - Aug 26 C'mon guys, those who have a brain and know football know we need rid of this idiot. So the matter is when- hopefully before and well before imminent relegation
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