Town chief Maurice Malpas will be at the Valley tonight

MAURICE Malpas has urged Town's youngsters to "play without fear" tonight as they prepare to lock horns with Championship side Charlton Athletic in the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup.

The Swindon boss will be at the Valley to see if Town's under 18s can book a place in the quarter finals for the second successive season, with Premiership side Sunderland awaiting the winners.

On the day the club announced nine of their brightest prospects had been handed 18-month professional contracts, Malpas is hoping for another big performance from Town's future stars.

He said: "It will be the first time I've really seen them play so I'm looking forward to the game.

"Whatever happens tonight, hopefully the players will benefit from it and have another round to play next week.

"It's a big game but I've got a lot of faith in them.

"We've signed some of them on pro contracts and we've got a great belief they can take the club forward in a few years time.

"We've got them signed up because we believe they have got the potential. They are the future of the club."

In an exclusive interview in today's Swindon Advertiser, Town chairman Andrew Fitton underlined his commitment to the club by pledging to make the County Ground youth set-up one of the best in the country.

And Malpas revealed he is also a big believer in investing in youth, and insists he is looking to build a close relationship with Paul Bodin's fledgling Robins.

He said: "I've spoken to the chairman and we're both on the same wavelength, we want the boys to come through, develop and try and play in the first team.

"Over the last few years we've had a decent number come through, but we've found it's been too easy for other clubs to pinch them.

"I think it's a lot easier to develop players than to go out and buy players, so it's something we need to be working hard at.

"The biggest buzz I've always had since I started coaching has been watching a young kid come in one year, and years after that he is playing in the first team.

"I get a massive kick from watching them develop and mature and then you get the pay-back of them playing in the first team.

"The staff look after the kids as if they were their own. They get a massive kick out of seeing them develop too.

"I think the fans are the same. They like to see local lads come through."

And though Bodin's hopefuls will go into tonight's clash as underdogs, Malpas insists they have absolutely nothing to fear.

"It's a case of how they handle the atmosphere and the occasion of going to play at a place like Charlton," he said.

"They have nothing to fear, it is something they should be looking forward to.

"Fear breeds poor performances and that's something we are trying to avoid.

"I hope the kids go and play the way they can play and I will get a better idea of how we play, and the standard of the academies.

"I've still to be convinced that academies are the way forward in English football."

4:23pm Tuesday 19th February 2008

Print   Email this   Comment