Burton Albion academy coach Sam Rose hopes the likes of Joe Sbarra, Ben Fox and Matt Palmer are showing the Brewers' academy players that the pathway to the first team is well and truly in place.
Rose was speaking after the Brewers ' academy side lost 3-1 to Mansfield Town, with Albion's under-18s bouncing back superbly to secure their first victory of the season in the Youth Alliance League by triumphing 2-1 at Bradford City a week later.
That win was thanks to a fine double from James Harrison, his second a gorgeous behind-the-leg flick reminscent of Gary Hooper's goal for Sheffield Wednesday in the senior side's 1-1 draw against the Owls last month.
The real aim, of course, for an academy that has expanded over the summer with two new full-time recruits is to produce talent that has the ability to grace the Pirelli Stadium pitch for the first team.
And that has certainly been the modus operandi over the last few years, with the academy production line churning out the likes of Palmer, Sbarra, Fox and Marcus Harness, alongside those pushing for a first-team berth down the line in Jayden Cotterill, Jack Hallahan and Marcus Dinanga.
Palmer, in many respects, is the shining light of Albion's academy - a player who has been present throughout the club's remarkable rise from League Two to the Championship.
He has again played a role so far this term, starting in each of the Brewers' three victories - in all competitions - so far. Sbarra and goalscorer Fox were also pivotal in the recent Carabao Cup triumph at Cardiff City, which has helped book the club a September 20 trip to Old Trafford.
Harness, meanwhile, is out on loan at League Two Port Vale as he seeks a more sustained run of first-team games, while Cotterill and Dinanga are gaining more valuable experience away from the Pirelli ahead of pushing for spots in the Burton team of the future.
And academy coach Rose reckons that the number one priority for the academy should be providing the same pathway that Palmer and co have benefited from.
"We have to have two perspectives on things with this group of players," Rose said.
"The first is to help the individuals follow in the footsteps of Matty Palmer, Marcus Harness, Ben Fox, Marcus Dinanga, Joe Sbarra, Jayden Cotterill and Jack Hallahan in making the step up to the first-team environment in recent seasons.
"The second is to try to develop a winning squad.
"That's the approach and we will continue to work hard at striving to create a winning and successful environment for those future players to develop within."
