TWTD understands that Town have offered a two-year academy scholarship to New Zealand youngster Tommy Smith. The central defender has spent several spells on trial at Playford Road, making a number of appearances for the U16s this season.

Smith, who will join the academy in the summer, was the star performer for the New Zealand Secondary Schools team on tours of Canada and Australia last year and won the soccer title at the 2005 Counties Manukau Sporting Excellence Awards, amongst the top honours in New Zealand schools sport.

The recruitment of the New Zealander shows the Blues casting their net ever wider as they look to continue their excellent record of youth development. Irish youngsters have become a familiar sight at the club's academy, while last year's intake included two Icelanders, keeper Óskar Pétursson and midfielder Björn Orri Hermannsson.

Hermannsson was in a Town U17 side which lost 2-1 to West Ham in a friendly at Playford Road on Saturday morning, striker Jordan Rhodes scoring for the Blues from the penalty spot. The game was arranged as there were no U16 or U18 fixtures this weekend.

Also in the team were goalkeeper Andrew Plummer and Curtley Williams, players likely to be joining Smith as full-timers at Playford Road next season.

Jordan Rhodes, son of keeper-coach Andy, has already agreed to join the academy for three years when he leaves school this summer (two as a scholar, one as a professional), while TWTD expects England U17 internationals Edward Upson and Kurt Robinson, Icelandic U17 international striker Viktor Unnar Illugason and midfielder Jai Reason to be offered scholarships.

The U17 side also included Scottish central defender Paul Watson, a schoolboy who also spent time at Playford Road last summer. Watson was unlucky to convert an own goal winner for the Hammers in the second half of Saturday's game.

The Town academy will again be sending an U17 side, including most of the players above, to the Ten Brinke Bouw Tournament in Varsseveld, Holland on 19th, 20th and 21st May.

Town U17s: Plummer, Hermannsson, Watson, Williams, Coakley, Reason, Nimmo, Fenn, Upson, Boto, Rhodes. Sub: J Ainsley.

Photo: Action Images

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