Chelmsford City's prolific young goal scorer Tesfaye Bramble is expected to sign for Premier Division Tottenham Hotspur today (Friday), and could play his last game for City in tomorrow's home league match against Folkestone Invicta at Billericay.

The promising 18-year-old will meet Spurs' Director of Football, David Pleat, and their youth manager Colin Murphy, along with City manager, Gary Bellamy, and City chairman, Peter Stroud.

A deal will be thrashed out with City receiving as yet an undisclosed but reasonable initial fee, involving several thousands of pounds, with further monies coming their way later, subject to the player's progress towards the first team.

The City boss said yesterday: "Spurs told us on Tuesday that they have made up their minds, they have seen enough and want him now so it's now a question of us all sitting down together and sorting out the final details.''

City had hoped to retain Bramble's services for the rest of the season but it seems that Spurs, realising he is still 18 and eligible for their Football Academy side this season, want him full time.

The Ipswich-based youngster, who has netted 19 goals for City this season, will be too old for the Academy side next season, so he will probably be sent out on loan by Spurs to a Conference League side as part of his development.

He will play for City tomorrow though when Ian Cambridge returns to the side after his two match suspension and Bellamy will be hoping the players return to winning ways after their mini revival came to an end at Ashford.

Also returning tomorrow on the substitute's bench will be another promising youngster, Kevin Dobinson but one player unlikely to ever appear in a City shirt is Cameron Stuart, the former Stevenage Borough winger who failed to turn up for his first game for City last Saturday.

The other encouraging news for City supporters is that all of the current young players have signed to play for the club next season.

"This is really encouraging as they have matured this season and we are now beginning to reap the work we have put in,'' said the manager.

Sacked winger Christian McCann has had his City contract cancelled and this week as expected signed for Baldock.

On the Ashford defeat Bellamy said: "I was disappointed with the result but not the performance - we played better in the second half, passing the simple ball and creating chances. We can't wait for tomorrow.''

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.