Club to make Academy history on Saturday

As previously promised, Steve Davis will name an all home grown starting XI for the club’s final game of the season against Walsall.

 Davis will create history by naming 11 Academy graduates in his line-up for the club’s final match at Gresty Road on Saturday. It is the first time in history that this will be achieved and Davis says it will be a great reward for all for all the hard work behind the scenes his Academy staff do.

Goalkeeper Ben Garratt is set to make his senior debut for the club and there will also be starts for defender George Ray and Oliver Turton. Captain Luke Murphy is expected to be fit to lead the team out.

Following last night’s superb 1-0 win over Sheffield United, Davis revealed: “I will give the Academy lads a chance and we will play 11 home grown players against Walsall. It will be a good test for them and interesting to see how they cope against a good side.

“It will be a young side and many of them will be Under-21 but apart from Ben, they have all made their debut at some point.

“It will be a piece of history and something I’ve wanted to do. The senior professionals obviously want to play, but they are also in full support of my decision.

“It will be a great reward for all the Academy staff who work hard to bring these players through. It stems from Dario and the senior coaches and I’ve tried to carry that one since I took over, by giving them their chances.

 “I think I have instilled some real confidence and belief in them to believe that they go out at first team level and do it. It is a tough league but they have shown that they can mentally and physically do it against some top clubs.”