Leyton Orient head coach Ross Embleton has revealed he is always looking at the youth team to hand them first-team opportunities, writes Jacob Ranson.

A number of youngsters have trained with the first team this season, including bright young prospect Deago Dunbar-Bonnie who featured during pre-season.

The boss insisted left-back Dunbar-Bonnie is not the only one being looked at by the first team staff and he is always looking at all of them.

However, Embleton knows the youngsters must be ready to compete with the current first-teamers before handing them game time.

“We’re always looking and I think it’s a massive part of what our club has always been about, trying to bring young players through,” he said.

“Albeit there has not been a huge amount of debuts this season, there has been appearances of the young players in the team and in the squad, which is a massive part of their development.

“Ultimately they’ve got to be ready and they’ve got to be better than the players we’ve got in the first-team squad already.”

The former Swindon Town assistant manager also says they must remember it’s a totally new experience for any youngster who is called upon.

“We also have to take into consideration when we use someone like Deago or any of those young boys, it’s very unique for someone so young to get an opportunity in the first team,” he added.

“Deago played in a couple of pre-season friendlies. At the time he was someone in the youth team people felt was progressing well for the season and it fitted for us in terms of the position we were looking for in those occasions.

“There’s a number of the young players that have trained with us throughout the season. Whenever we’re low on numbers or there are injuries, then the first thing we do is call up the youngsters and Diego is one that does come across with us.

“There is a number of players in that group already that are showing real potential of creating themselves opportunities.

“I wouldn’t say Deago is someone to pick out any more than any of the others at the moment, first of all because we’ve got Jayden Sweeney, Joe Widdowson, James Brophy and Shadrach Ogie who can all play in that position so he’s got a hell of a lot of competition.”