WORCESTER City’s youth system has enjoyed a number of success stories down the years.

Midfield prodigy Sam Wedgbury, who moved to Sheffield United for a five-figure fee, and Liam McDonald, now manager at Redditch United, both progressed into the first-team.

Defender Shabir Khan also forged his trade as a teenager and has remained at the club throughout.

Now, there are a number of new kids on the block who are emerging as candidates for Carl Heeley’s side.

This season, attacking midfielder Dean Waldron and left-back Jamie Smith have made the step up and both have appeared as substitutes in Conference North.

Defender Ryan Wollacott, midfielder Joao Sousa and striker James Lemon, currently on loan at Causeway United, Southam and Droitwich respectively, regularly train with the first-team squad Crucially, they are being given a chance, even if just to experience the rigours of semi-professional football.

Eighteen-year-old Waldron, in particular, has caught Heeley’s eye and he is keen to give home-grown talent their opportunity.

He said: “The boys have been training with us for a few weeks now and they are always welcome because we want to try to integrate them into the group.

“If they do get the call they need to be confident that they can step up and do it.

“I think Dean has got a lot of potential. He’s 6ft 2ins and got great energy. He’s got a lot to learn but I think he’s got the attributes to become a very good player if he continues to work hard.”

Heeley added: “There’s a couple of other young lads that are training with us who played in the FA Youth Cup.

“They are maybe not quite ready yet but they’re ones to keep a close eye on and it’s a good chain of players coming through.

“If you’re not going to give them an opportunity when the time’s right and be brave enough to put them in then it’s pointless having an academy.”

City now have an established youth system, running teams at all levels from under 11 to under 19 with the exception of under 17.

Former striker Mark Owen looks after the main academy at Heart of Worcestershire College, which provides school leavers the chance to continue their education alongside playing football. It offers a BTEC in sport for 16 to 19-year-olds and a foundation degree for students up to the age of 21.

On the pitch, the team play in the English Colleges Football Association West Midlands Premier on Wednesdays and in the Midland League Under 21 South East Division on Saturdays.

“The system is in a very good shape at the moment,” Owen said. “The one thing we have got is that it’s full-time.”

Trials for the academy will be held at Little Perdiswell on February 19.