Chorley boss Andy Preece will handle his young stars with care - Sixteen-year-old Noel Brindle has made the bench this season

The Magpies boast a reputable youth development and education programme set up in 2018 under the guidance of Preece and now working in conjunction with the Steve Gerrard Academy.

As well as providing its young players with an excellent start in adulthood both on and off the pitch, the club ultimately hope to provide a conveyor belt of talent for the first team in the future.

Several players have progressed to the first-team squad, such as Liam Birchall, Harrison Kay and striker Harry Scarborough, who is on loan at Bamber Bridge.

Over the past few weeks, it has been the turn of youngster Noel Brindle, 16, to make the bench.

His inclusion has partly been down to injuries and Preece has been reluctant to throw him in at the deep end during a National League North fixture.

Preece said: "It is a case of trying to protect young players but also giving them an opportunity to see whether they can step up. I would have no qualms in putting them in. I think they would be fine.

"But it’s just about finding the right circumstances. You don’t want to put them into a particular circumstance where it could knock them backwards.

"Noel is doing really well at the minute. He is full of confidence and you want to keep that rolling. As a manager, you want to give young lads an opportunity.”