At only 19 years old, Tom Bayliss has already racked up 50 appearances for the Sky Blues, having made his debut at the back-end of last year in a 2-1 Checkatrade Trophy win against West Brom U23’s.
His Football League debut came against Cheltenham Town and Tuesday night’s Checkatrade Trophy game, also against the Robins, marked the milestone.
Bayliss who has scored seven times along the way, has seen himself become a regular feature in Mark Robins’ first team and he told how he’s hoping to continue to progress and show his seniority.
He said: ‘’I was made aware of the milestone after the Cheltenham game, it’s great achievement at a young age and it’s certainly something I’m hoping to build on.
‘’I don’t mind who we face, I’ll always play the same, my debut was more memorable then this Checkatrade game as I scored in the opening two minutes. But my 50th was an experience, it was a young team and a few of the senior’s needed to help the side pull through a bit more.
‘’We didn’t want the half time whistle to come, we were finding out feet, but then straight after the restart they scored a set-piece and it just killed our momentum. It was disappointing in the end to take and to be knocked out of the competition’’
Despite Bayliss still being a teenager, the midfielder said he has learnt a lot about his game through playing across different Leagues over the last couple of seasons.
He added: ‘’Over my time here I’ve learnt a lot, it’s made me grow up quicker being 19 years old and making 50 appearances at this level, it makes me live for every moment really, not many 19-year olds have already made 50 first team appearances at this level.
‘’Your game changes with more experience, League Two is different to U23’s, League One is a whole different level to League Two, so its adapting to different circumstances and I'm really getting used to playing at this level of football.
‘’ I can still hang around with first team and u23 it’s always good to have the link and hopefully I can facilitate that in some way. But I know as I’m called upon in the first team now, I must see myself as a first team player and I must perform all the time.’’
Bayliss is now getting back to full-fitness following a hip injury he suffered against Doncaster but insists he’s ready should Robins select him to travel away to Burton on the weekend.
Bayliss said: ‘’I’m over my hip injury now we can push on to Saturday now, I don’t get many injuries and I probably should’ve come off half time in Doncaster game, but I want to just keep playing.
‘’I’m better now and we look on to getting three points Saturday at Burton. I’m ready for starting team, if gaffer calls on me and wants to make the change and put me back in, I’m ready for it.’’