Tranmere Rovers have sent youngsters Cole Stockton and Will Vaulks to non-league clubs to toughen them up.
Striker Stockton has joined Blue Square North side Vauxhall Motors, while defender Vaulks has a similar assignment at Cammell Laird in the Evo Stick First Division North.
Both club’s are based on the Wirral meaning the youngsters will continue to train with Rovers. However Manager Les Parry is keen to see the pair benefit from the robust nature of the non-league game in the same way that Ash Taylor (pictured) did in 2009.
Centre-back Taylor was a promising youth prospect when he was sent out to Colwyn Bay in a similar arrangement in early 2009. He came back to Prenton Park a man and now has close to 90 games under his belt for Tranmere.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Parry is in no doubt that the robust nature of life below the Football League will help Stockton and Cole acclimatise to men’s football.
“Both Cole and Will are excelling at youth football. They are probably finding it a little bit easy. So we’ve sent them out to proper men’s football – somewhere where they will get kicked and elbowed, said Parry.
“It is competitive in a different way to youth football. Hopefully it will progress them as players and we will get back more complete players than we sent out. They can both look after themselves and they will need to.
“That’s the idea. I’m confident Will will do a great job for the Lairds and Cole will score goals for Vauxhall Motors.”
He continued:
“Ash Taylor is a massive example for Cole and Will. I think Ash went out to Colwyn Bay as a boy and came back as a man. He had a bit more confidence after he’d spent a few months there.”
Stockton will be looking to make his Conference North debut for Vauxhall Motors against Histon this weekend while Vaulks should be in action for Lairds against Clitheroe.
