Crystal Palace haven’t given too many chances to academy prospects since earning promotion to the Premier League back in 2012/13.
The likes of Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Tyrick Mitchell have emerged in recent seasons, but other than that, top-flight survival was the main objective over developing youngsters for many years.
Now, however, Roy Hodgson can afford to blood in some rookies, and there is one player who is proving to be worthy of a first-team chance – Scott Banks.
The Scottish winger arrived in January from Dundee United, with the Eagles paying just £200,000 in compensation to sign the attacker.
Since he began playing Premier League 2 football this season after Palace secured Category One academy status, he has shone.
Banks has scored four goals in seven Premier League 2 games this season, while also grabbing four assists – he is the joint-fourth top scorer in the division as things stand.
Hodgson has even described him as a ‘talented’ player who could be training with the first-team very soon.
London News Online quote the ex-England boss as saying: ‘He’s a talented player, there’s no question of that. I can definitely see him training with the first team during the coming months.’
The 19-year-old is a player who could be taken under Andros Townsend’s wing, given the ex-Tottenham man’s work with Aaron Wan-Bissaka and also his similarities to Banks as a player in terms of them both being left-footed, right-sided forwards.
The Manchester United right-back has previously spoken to the Croydon Advertiser about how much Townsend helped him at Selhurst Park.
‘Andros Townsend helped me a lot, but he also helps a lot of the others (U23 players) when they come training with the first team.’
Hopefully, Banks can be the next player to benefit from the England international’s tutoring skills.
