Sam Mantom relishes taste of the big time
Wednesday 25th August 2010, 1:29PM BST.
Teenager Sam Mantom today targeted more first-team action after enjoying a winning Albion debut at Leyton Orient.
The 18-year-old from Wordsley played 90 minutes in last night’s Carling Cup win at Leyton Orient in his first taste of senior action.
And the midfielder, who has been with the Baggies since the age of 12, is keen for more opportunities but he admitted he must produce special training ground displays to make the Premier League squad.
He said: “I have to keep doing well in training first and foremost and keep impressing the gaffer if I want him to pick me ahead of these senior pros.
“Hopefully last night has done me a bit of good and I will just keep working hard in training to show what I can do.
“This season I have been involved with the first team virtually every day, which has been great.
“Last year I was attending the matches and looking up to them and wondering if I would ever get a chance to play.
“It it’s just great to be able to pass the ball to them and talk to them and become friends with them. It gave me a real buzz to be on the pitch and I wanted to keep playing but I don’t think my legs would have carried me any further.”
And Mantom said last night’s appearance fulfilled a dream after he watched the Baggies academy develop during his six years at the club.
He said: “Playing in the first team was always the aim.
“I joined in the under-12s when we were still training on artificial pitches out in the snow and there was no dome like we’ve got now.
“Now the new training ground and facilities have been built up it gives us the surroundings to be able to kick on.”
Mantom partnered captain-for-the-night Steven Reid in central midfield and admitted the former Blackburn man was a huge help.
Mantom said: “It was great. Reidy is a great professional who has so much experience and it was just great to be out there with him and passing the ball to him. He really helped me out there.”
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