Waite on trial at St. Andrew's

Tyrell Waite, Ilkeston FC’s talented young striker, is spending this week on trial with Birmingham City.

The Championship promotion-chasers are just one of a number of clubs who have been keeping a close check this season on the progress of the 17-year-old Academy product and when they requested the chance to take an even closer look, Kevin Wilson felt he couldn’t stand in Waite’s way.

Said the manager: “Tyrell has created a lot of interest this season and rightly so because he’s a lad with great potential. I think he has bits and pieces of everything.

“He certainly has plenty of pace and power, and can score a goal. And although he is still very much work in progress, I think he can go a long way in the game. Whatever comes from this week, it will be good experience for him to work with other coaches and players.”

Birmingham have been given permission to play Waite in a match this week - as well as training every day - but he will be available for the Robins’ home clash with Loughborough Dynamo on Saturday.

Added Wilson: “I think this is a real statement about the way we operate our Academy and hopefully Tyrell will be the first of many talented young boys who emerge from the ranks to attract interest from a higher level.

“People in football now realise that we do things properly with our Academy and I see it as a tremendous compliment. The object of the exercise always has been that we develop young players who will serve our club well and then, if they are capable enough, will move up the ladder.

“In the longer-term, we want to be so far up the ladder that they might prefer to stay with us than move on... but that’s some way in the future.”

There’s no telling what the immediate future could hold for Waite, who is on contract to Ilkeston FC, and Wilson said: “We will wait and see what transpires.”