Keith Curle comments on Hartlepool United academy star after 'glowing' reference led to Salford City call up

Academy scholar Stephenson was a surprise inclusion in Keith Curle’s match day squad to face Salford at the Suit Direct Stadium after being called up following a number of injuries to the first team recently. Stephenson had been training with the first team over the last week and was rewarded with a spot on the bench as an unused substitute.

But while the teenage defender did not make it onto the Suit Direct Stadium pitch, the experience gained from being in and around the Hartlepool dressing room, and integrating with the first team squad, will be beneficial to Stephenson and the rest of the academy prospects according to interim boss Curle.

“It’s a great opportunity and the kid has been walking around with a massive smile on his face from when he was training with us,” Curle told The Mail.

“I know some managers would leave spaces available on the bench to send a message out to supporters and the football club that we're down to the bare bones and say ‘I could only put six on the bench’ but I'm not like that. If there’s room on the bench, turn to the academy. Give me your best.

“We’ve got Sweens who has got one foot in the first team camp and one foot in the academy camp. I spoke to Sweens and he said this is my recommendation. I spoke to Andy Lowe and he came back with the same answer and they spoke glowingly about Louis.

“It’s an inspiring message to the rest of the academy. I know we’ve only got 10 or 11 scholars, and some of the university scholars as well who are bolstering the numbers, but that has a ripple effect because Louis will go back, but you can imagine what it will be like. ‘What was it like? What did the manager say to you? What did the other players say to you?’ And it’s one of those that has a knock-on effect where others think ‘I want a bit of that.’

“Next time there’s an opportunity they think they want to be selected and that has a knock-on effect in performances and training when thinking the management staff are watching.”

But although Stephenson did not feature, the opportunity may come with the visit of Grimsby Town with the 17-year-old set to continue his stay with the first team this week in the absence of the likes of Jamie Sterry and Rollin Menayese, with his inclusion showing the benefit of the club having their academy return in the summer.

“Louis will be training with us on Thursday and Friday,” Curle told The Mail.

“Names were put forward to us [from the academy] so that’s a positive. He’ll be disappointed he wasn’t celebrating a win. If things had been different I would have loved to get him on the pitch but he conducted himself very well.

“He was very polite, very courteous and respectful, but that buoyancy of having a taste of what the first team changing room is like will stay with him.”