Joey Barton wants more Bristolians in his team as he integrates academy prospect Harvey Greenslade into the first-team squad at Bristol Rovers.
The striker has spent time working with the Gas at The Quarters of late and he joined the team for their warm-up before Saturday's 0-0 draw with Forest Green Rovers at the Mem. Barton has been impressed by the second-year scholar, who has spent time out on loan in non-league at Cinderford Town, Tiverton Town and Tuffley Rovers this season.
Academy graduate Luca Hoole, aged 19, has been a key player for Barton's Gas this season, while boyhood Gashead Alfie Kilgour reached 100 appearances for the club this season. Highly-rated teenage goalkeeper Jed Ward, too, has been part of the first-team setup all season and Barton wants the club continually improve at developing its own talent.
"He (Greenslade) has been dipping in and out," Barton said. "Whilst we’re intent on pushing at the top end of the table, we’ve got to be mindful of developing for next season.
"Our younger players, as Luca Hoole has shown this season, if given an opportunity they can flourish.
"I want to see a lot of Bristolians in our team. I want to see local lads in and around our football club because I think there is nothing better for a fan to see somebody who is one of your own.
"We’ve got it with Alfie Kilgour and Hooley. When you’ve got people who understand the fabric of the football club playing for the football club, I think that’s really important, not only for the fans but for the culture."
Jarmani Langlais and Max Edwards-Stryjewski both made debuts for Rovers aged 16 earlier this season, with Niall Lovelock, Tyron Mbuenimo, Kieran Phillips and Tom Mehew also making fleeting appearances for the Gas.
Greenslade is yet to get a taste of first-team action with the Gas, but he was an unused substitute in the FA Cup first-round replay win over Oxford United in November. The manager believes he is a promising talent.
"They won’t be with us if they can’t hold their own," Barton added. "The boy is with us because he can hold his own, he’s a good player. It’s not a charity and we’re not trying to develop Bristol people who are below the level.
"As Hooley has shown and as I think young Harvey will with a bit of time, they are competent and they can cope with what the senior game throws at them.
"We’ve got to improve our pipeline because the lifeblood of any football club is developing its own talent. If that comes out of our academy and from the streets of Bristol, nothing better."
With Rovers' development squad effectively disbanded at the end of last season when the club did not enter into the Central League, there are limited opportunities for players to be assessed in house unless they make a strong enough impression – be it out on loan, in pre-season or the fleeting opportunities when injuries have depleted Barton's numbers for training – to earn chances to work closely with the first team.
The club's academy, formerly led by Chris Hargreaves and now under the stewardship of Brian Dutton, has been effective at identifying and developing players, with Aston Villa raiding the Gas twice last season sign youngsters standout Kyrie Pierre and Bradley Burrowes in return for six-figure sums.
Pierre, now 16, has scored twice for Villa's under-18s this season and has made a single appearance in Premier League 2.
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