Blues boss Mick McCarthy says the progress made by young full-backs Myles Kenlock and Josh Emmanuel is among the positives which can be taken from what’s overall been a disappointing season.

Kenlock, 20, has made 14 starts and two appearances during 2016/17, having made a further five starts last season, while 19-year-old Emmanuel has made 13 starts and three sub appearances, adding to six starts and one game from the bench in the previous campaign when he also made one start and one sub appearance for loan club Crawley.

“I think they’ve done well and I think Myles in particular over the last few games, especially after we lost Jonas [Knudsen to a shoulder injury], he’s been very good,” McCarthy said.

“The two games, Friday and Monday against Burton and Newcastle, he was excellent. I know he gave the penalty away at Burton, but that was a little bit [unfortunate]. I think he’s had two great games.”

McCarthy is pleased with the way Town supporters treat young players: “I don’t think our fans give our young players any grief or aggravation.

"If they do it’s come out of frustration at all of us and when the younger players make a mistake, they have a groan, but it’s [more about] the whole team and the way things have gone this year, not at our young players.

“Every club likes to have their own young players in and I think our fans especially like to see them play. They get grief because we’ve not been playing well as a team.

“I’d like to think they give them extra latitude, which we do because they’re inexperienced and they will make mistakes.”

Meanwhile, McCarthy says midfielder Luke Hyam, who has missed the whole campaign with first a knee injury and then more recently an ankle problem, will be fit and raring to go ahead of pre-season.

“They all get a pack with their regimes in to keep their fitness over the summer,” McCarthy said. “I think they’re remarkable now, they come back pretty much 90 per cent ready to play.

“And especially Luke. I think he was disappointed last year, I don’t think he won the bleep test, I think Diggers beat him. So I would imagine that he’ll come back and he’ll want to win it this year.

“He’s progressing nicely, he’s not going to be involved. At the end of the season he’ll be fit to do his regime for the summer and he’ll come back and he’ll be perfect for pre-season.”

One man who won’t be pack for pre-season at the end of June will be Jonathan Douglas, who has been released. "

McCarthy says the 35-year-old will be a good addition for another club over the summer

“I’ve watched him training this morning and anybody that would want him, he’s a fantastic example to all the young kids,” he added.

“He’s terrific, believe me. Low maintenance, trains every day, plays and gets through it. I wish I’d signed him earlier in my career. I tried to sign him before. He would have been a good signing at any time, but he’s been good for us.”

Photo: TWTD

Pencilpete added 17:25 - Apr 27 Yeah any club who is looking for a 'different class' midfield player who can't run anymore, only passes sideways and backwards and has the creativity and goal threat of a jam sandwich would snap your hand off for 'Dougie' Seriously, anyone who had never seen this guy stagger around Portman Road like a drunken grandad at a wedding week after week and only had Big Micks appraisals of him to go by would want to award him the Ballon D'or !!!

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phillo added 17:32 - Apr 27 Yet again "false news" from Mcarthy - the young players DO NOT get grief ..... far from it .... it's the old farts he plays that tend to get the stick. But that version of events doesn't fit Micks "I know best" myopic view of the world does it. Get lost ...
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NoCanariesAllowed added 17:37 - Apr 27 I've criticised Douglas' performances many times in the past, quite vehemently I'll admit. But to be fair, if he finds himself at a club somewhere in the middle of League One, he'll probably do pretty well and nab a few goals. The problem has never really been him in isolation or Skuse in isolation but the two of them together within McCarthy's tactical approach.

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yorkshire added 18:39 - Apr 27 @Phillo - think you might want to read the peice again before you jump on you 'I hate Mick' bangwagon "McCarthy is pleased with the way Town supporters treat young players: “I don't think our fans give our young players any grief or aggravation"
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Mark added 18:51 - Apr 27 Kenlock could be the first player to go from our academy to being a FIRST CHOICE first teamer since...I wanted to say Smith, but I suppose it was Wickham? I write 'could' as it remains to be seen whether Kenlock keeps his place in the side when Knudsen is fit again.
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Hegansheroes added 22:13 - Apr 27 Is Knudsen moving on, please
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BigHibbs added 04:22 - Apr 28 Mark Luke hyam
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goat_man added 09:48 - Apr 28 Me thinks Mick goes on about this fitness thing in regards to Douglas far too much. I cant be the only Town fan to think that we would have been better off the last two seasons watching 60 mins of Teddy Bishop followed up by 30 mins of Bru/Williams rather than 90 mins of a fully fit Douglas.
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essextractorboy93 added 10:15 - Apr 28 Really pleased with how the full backs have progressed this season, especially Kenlock who has kicked on in 2017, starting to see more youngsters make that progression into the first team picture. The academy is clearly doing something right! We can't compete with the spending power of lots in this league so looking to youth is vital! COYB!
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DanSuperTown added 22:21 - Apr 28 Potenitally Smith, Emmanual, Kenlock, Hyam, Bishop, Dozzell in the first team, half a team made up of Academy Grads + a few other on the periphery, Blanchard, McDonnall, Benyu, Morris, Gotta be looking good for the future.
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