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Academy prospects shine, Tom King's big moment and Arkell Jude-Boyd close to return - Cheltenham Town assistant manager Aaron Downes after West Ham United win

Tom King celebrates his goal against West Ham
-Credit: (Image: Nizaam Jones/CTFC)


A pleasing night's work for you?

Yes, a very good evening. If you wanted to write down how it would go, that would be about it, apart from the clean sheet, which Joe (Day) will be disappointed in. But it was a good evening all round, a great game for a few boys who needed it and for us to see where a few are at as well. Some really good play. It was a bit crazy at times, a lot of action and I think people got their money's worth, but really satisfactory from our point of view.

And strikers who haven't had much game time scoring, which must be very good for you?

READ MORE:Cheltenham Town v West Ham United Under-21s RECAP: Tom King nets first senior goal in EFL Trophy win

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Definitely. Duls (Liam Dulson) has been working ever so hard and I am so pleased for him that he's had such a great night tonight. He has scored, got an assist and been a big part of our attacking threat. Tayls (Matty Taylor) puts in a great finish and I am sure you'll be asking me about Tom King too. It was a really good finish for him as well.

With the formation currently only having one central striker, how hard is it when you have four other strikers with limited game time?

It can be difficult, but the players understand when we are getting results as we have over the last three or four games, they know they have to bide their time and take the chance when they come in. They have done that tonight, giving us a headache and we know Duls can play on the left or right hand side, which he proved tonight. There might be one position, but we know we have to keep them firing, keep them working and they have to stay hungry in training, which they have done and be ready to stake their claim as they were tonight. I am really happy they were able to produce that tonight.

How good is Tom King?

He has a lot to learn and what we can't do is get too carried away. What is really important was that he went and got games and minutes, scoring goals for the Under-18s, which is what he's done. He has got a lot of numbers in his last month or two, which has bred confidence. What we are seeing now is a different person to the one we were seeing in pre-season.

In what way?

He has confidence, match fitter and he didn't play a lot of games last year, from what we're told. He is training day-in, day-out, playing and scoring goals and it makes him feel better. All strikers want to score goals and he has that confidence. Now, it's come to show that because he's scoring a lot, he's going to get a chance and he takes it. Great potential with Kingy and I am absolutely buzzing for the whole football club about him because a lot of work has been put into him in a short space of time. From the academy boys with Ash (Vincent), our first team coach, which makes it a good night for them. There are a lot of academy products on the pitch, a lot of work has been put into those boys and it's showed against a Category One academy, our academy boys competed really well with theirs. It's a feather in a lot of people's caps tonight and I am pleased for a lot of people at the football club.

This competition gives you an opportunity to give some players early indications of what they are going to be like at this sort of standard, doesn't it?

I know we've made nine changes, but we didn't want to weaken the team. I don't want to be disrespectful to the players who played tonight because we put a team out there to win the football match. We wanted to win tonight and we wanted to go through. That was job done from our point of view, but we knew the team we put out there was going to be competitive and absolutely good enough to win that football match. It gives an opportunity to make a few changes because we've got a lot of games in a short period of time, with three cup games in a week. We knew those boys out there were good enough to win and really happy with a lot of performances and we got good minutes into people who needed it.

Things can change quickly in football, can't it. Two-and-a-half weeks since the Swindon defeat and since it's three wins and a draw

Yes, credit to the manager (Michael Flynn), who has galvanised us and pulled us all together. He's made sure we've become a lot more competitive. We knew we'd get better as it went on, but we still had to put a lot of work in and a lot of people behind the scenes have put a lot of work in to make sure it changes quickly. We know it can soon bite you on the backside if you are not careful. But the manager has to take a bit of credit and he's not here, so I can give him that credit. He's made sure we are working and doing the basics, as all of his teams have done. We are doing that now and not many people will fancy playing us because of the way we are competing at the minute and it shows tonight everyone in the squad is doing that, not just the players in the starting XI and it has to be the bare minimum. We have to keep reminding them and keep on top of them because we can't take our foot off the gas just yet and there is a long season to go. But we feel we are in a much better position to where we were three weeks ago.

As you said West Ham are a Category One academy, so it's a really good test for your academy players

Yes, a really good test. Even Harry Tustin coming on for his debut for the club, again a credit to the academy. We wouldn't put these boys in if we didn't think they were ready. Brandon (Liggett) and Freddy (Willcox) have been around it all season, with us, they are kicking on and that's really good to see. We know Kingy has been around it for a little bit. It's good that those boys can get those minutes and test themselves, but we didn't want to leave them out there all on their own and we have some really good footballers out there and some experience as well. A pleasing night from our point of view and for the football club.

Tom King was going to go on loan to Gloucester, but it fell through. Does he need a senior loan now?

With that thought in mind, that he was going to go, then yes, it would be good for him to get some competitive football. We needed to make sure he was getting match minutes and getting success, which he's done. We feel he's probably ready for a senior loan. If and when that arises, then great. There were complications with transfer embargos with Gloucester, so it didn't come to fruition in the end. That conversation still might happen, but from our point of view and his point of view, we are really happy for him tonight and for his family and for the academy staff because a lot of hard work has gone into making Kingy successful, especially from himself and his family.

How much have you seen of Harry Tustin, who suffered an ACL injury last season?

He was one of the first players I met because I came in the off season and he was in working, recovering from his injury. I've seen him quite a lot actually, watching numerous games of the Under-18s. The fixtures have worked well for us as far as they are at home, so I've watched a lot of first halves, put it that way and then I've had to come here for our game. He is a real competitor, gets about the pitch and has good legs. He is someone we have hopes for and the academy coaches have hopes for as well. There are a few in there who have a good chance. We are keeping a close eye on them and they are ticking along really nicely. He has a chance and it's great that he's able to make his debut tonight and the way the game went meant he could get out there and get a taste of men's football. It was good because he's had a long return from injury after last season, so he's got a little reward and he'll be buzzing tonight.

How close is Arkell Jude-Boyd to being back in contention?

He is very close at the minute. There is a little bit of history with the injury, so we have to make sure everything is fine and ticked off, but he is getting closer and that's great news. Quite a few are coming back now, which is great to see and hopefully Arks won't be too far away.

Joe Day's performances continue to impress in goal and mean Owen Evans will have a battle on his hands to reclaim his place

Owen is not a million miles away either, which is great news. Joe has been fantastic. A real calming influence and a very good goalkeeper, someone we are lucky to have as a player and on the staff. He has done great and I am really pleased for him. He's keeping himself ticking over, while at the same time pushing Owen to improve and coach him in getting better. Credit to the man because all that time putting so much focus and energy into Owen, he is not forgetting about himself so he is ready to come in and do the job as and when needed. It's really difficult to compartmentalise in your brain and he's done it fantastically, so credit to him.