City set for Villa link-up?

By Nathan Jackson
October 19 2006

Lincoln City could be set to sell another youngster to a Premiership side after Wednesday night's reserve game. Aston Villa, the side John Deehan used to manage, sent one of their top scouts to the Imps' 2nd string game against Grimsby on Wednesday night to view an unnamed player.

Villa scout, Alan Nicholls was sent to Sincil Bank to monitor the progress of one of City's youngsters although it is unknown which player he was looking at. The Premiership side have made a good start to the season and several first teamers are products of their youth system including Gabriel Agbonlahor and Gareth Barry.

Despite losing the game, several of City's youngsters played well including Phil Watt, Andy Toyne and Rob Younger. However, with 2 of these players being defenders, they and their fellow defenders Nigel Wallace and Jack Cotton will all be heavily looked at as they left the goalscorer, Andy Taylor unmarked at the back post and he volleyed past Rayner.

Although there is no guarantees that any transfer deal will happen, it is still very encouraging that City's youngsters are constantly being scouted by higher league opposition and from producing virtually no regular first teamers for a few years, Lee Frecklington's progress and Leon Mettam's sudden appearance means that there could be an encouraging future produced from the academy.