“Over the years, Sutton have always had a reputation of playing younger players, and for me, there is nothing better than promoting players from within your own club.

We have two good U18s teams at the club, and that is credit to the work of Darren Rea (U18s manager) and Jake Freeman, that allows us access to over 30 players from both age groups and having watched both teams already since I’ve been at the club, I am hoping this sends a message to all the players in both groups, that opportunity is there, if they are good enough and performing consistently.

The quality in both teams is there, but the challenge to those players now is to keep performing consistently, if they are good enough they are good enough!

Tom has been in the training group for a few weeks now, and played in a friendly against Boldmere this week, and did really well.

He’s still only 16, and can play across two or three positions, but as I’ve said to him, if he’s good enough his age is irrelevant to me. My job, with the staff and players, is to help nurture that development, both in training and when he is playing for the U18s/U21s.

I’m a real believer that exposing younger players to a senior environment, and that can be training and what a match day looks like, will only enhance their development. There is a big jump from U18 to Senior Football, especially physically and that is why having some of the younger lads around us will bring enthusiasm and energy, they play with no fear or preconceptions of who they are playing with/against.

Tom has been in the system at Sutton since he was 11, and whilst I know he’s delighted to have signed first team forms, he knows what is expected now, in terms of the next few months and how that development will look, both in training and within the games programme.”