DMITRI Halajko believes Colchester United are showing why they rank as one of the best clubs in the country for giving young players opportunities.

A host of the U’s home-grown players are impressing this season, with the likes of Samson Tovide, Bradley Ihionvien and Noah Chilvers shining in League Two.

In addition, Colchester have given a chance to youngsters such as Jayden Fevrier and Will Greenidge who have come in from other clubs, along with promising fledgling loanees such as Owen Goodman, Nico Lawrence and Zach Mitchell.

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U’s sporting director Halajko feels the youthful feel of the first-team squad this season is testament to the club's commitment to providing a realistic pathway for talented youngsters, along with that to head coach Ben Garner.

Halajko said: “It’s something the club and the academy staff should be really proud of and the players should be really proud of.

Gazette:

“It’s not easy; it takes a lot of bravery and hard work and we’ve got a manager - and we’ve had managers previously - who isn’t scared to put young players in.

“There’s plenty of young players up and down the country but then the club isn’t joined up so they don’t get their chance or the manager isn’t brave enough or isn’t employed in the vision of giving youth a chance.

“We’re lucky at this football club where we are joined up and we've got a manager who’s brave enough to play them and an academy that will produce good enough quality.

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“Therefore at our club, there will always be an opportunity for good talent to come through.

“I think we’re one of the best in the country for it.”

Ihionvien came off the bench for Colchester against Tranmere to score his second goal in the space of three games, while fellow U’s academy products Tovide, Chilvers and Al-Amin Kazeem also caught they eye.

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“They had an impact and it’s happened consistently over the last 12 months,” said Halajko, who has worked within the academy set-up at the likes of West Ham United, Norwich City and Leicester City.

“The lads that keep coming from the academy keep stepping up and keep providing good performances.

“If you look at all of our good performances over the last year, I can guarantee there’s some, if not a lot, of academy players at the heart of it.

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“We had six involved against MK Dons; it obviously didn’t end how we wanted it to and you can’t celebrate it too much but then we follow it up with six who get on the pitch the next week (at Gillingham) and they get the result and they see the game out.

“I can’t think of many other clubs in the country that have got six young players coming on the pitch from their academy.”