Jack Willbye News Today

Academy midfielder Jack Willbye’s 45-yard stunner during Town’s FA Youth Cup tie with Sunderland has won the League Football Education December 2013 U18 Academy Leagues Goal of the Month award.

Town’s U18s lost 3-1 in a friendly to Crystal Palace at a bitterly cold Playford Road on Saturday morning. Tom Winter’s first-half strike was cancelled out by three second-half Palace goals after a raft of Town substitutions at the break.

Blues duo Frank Nouble and Anthony Wordsworth were both on target as their loan sides were defeated on Tuesday evening.

Academy midfielder Jack Willbye has joined Ryman League Premier Division Bury Town on a month’s loan.

Boss Mick McCarthy has revealed that second-year academy scholar Kyle Hammond will be joining the Blues’ professional staff, despite facing seven to nine months out after rupturing an anterior cruciate knee ligament during last Saturday’s 3-1 U18s defeat at QPR.

On-loan trio Frank Nouble, Jack Marriott and Omar Sowunmi were all on the losing side in the FA Cup first round proper this afternoon.

On-loan Town duo Paul Taylor and Anthony Wordsworth both started for next week’s opponents Rotherham as they drew 1-1 at home to Charlton on Saturday.

Town’s U21 side face Brighton and Hove Albion at Lancing FC’s

The Blues U18s comfortably won their annual friendly against Southwold Town on the Common 7-0 on Friday evening. Josh Fagbohan, George Clarke, Jack Willbye (pictured), Cemal Ramadan (2), Omar Sowunmi and Shane McLoughlin scoring the goals.

Towns U18s beat the Ipswich Wanderers senior side 4-1 at their SEH Sports Ground earlier this evening.