COVENTRY City Academy manager Gregor Rioch says he has been delighted with the spirit of his latest crop of youngsters.

Ricoh, in his fourth season as the club's academy manager, said Saturday's 3-2 season opening win away at Barnsley was the perfect way to get a season underway which is already showing alot of promise.

"What I witnessed on the team coach on the way back from Barnsley is probably something I have never seen before and it was such a great thing to witness," he said.

"All the lads were listening to the live commentary of the first team's game with Derby and when City went a goal up all the young lads started shouted and cheering and singing City songs and it was a fantastic thing to see because you could see the team spirit pouring out of them."

The Coventry City Academy has also had it's fair share of success in the past two seasons, seeing a number of apprentices rising through the ranks to earn first team debuts.

Goalkeepers Michael Quirke, defenders Jermaine Grandison, Jordan Clarke and Nathan Cameron, strikers Shaun Jeffers and Callum Wilson and first year apprentices Jonson Clarke-Harris and Cyrus Christie have all made their first team debuts in the past 12 months.

Striker Clarke-Harris infact became the youngest ever player to make his first team debut for the club when he appeared as a substitute in the Sky Blues' 2-0 Carling Cup first round defeat to Morecambe in August 2010 aged 16 years and 20 days.

Rioch added: "The effect of seeing these young lads make a step up and appear in the first team has had a profound effect on all of the lads at the academy in their desire to improve, their application and the way they approach their football. It's as good as I have ever seen it."

He also added he would welcome selection problems this season if it meant his players were unavailable because of involvement with Aidy Boothroyd's first team.

"It's a bit of a strange position to be in because on the one hand you want to be successful at youth level, you want to breed that winning mentality and determination because that is what is required in the first team," he said.

"However if we play on a Saturday morning and don't get the win because our youngsters are being picked for involvement in the first team then that is still success for us because first team football is the ultimate goal.

"That kind of experience is invaluable so as an academy manager to not have all of your players at your disposal because the first team manager involves them in his plans is a problem I would definitely welcome."

Gregor Rioch's Under 18s host Sheffield United in their second fixture of the 2010/11 Premier Academy League on Saturday, August 28.