BURNLEY manager Owen Coyle is anticipating enhanced competition for places thanks to the emergence of young striker Wes Fletcher.

The 18-year-old is the youth team’s runaway leading scorer, with 26 goals and a minimum of eight league and cup games still to play before the end of the season.

That attacking prowess has also recently been transferred to the reserves, as six goals in the last four games have helped to earn him a professional deal at Turf Moor, along with four other scholars.

And Coyle has backed his latest protege to prompt fellow youth team graduate Jay Rodriguez to raise the bar.

Burnley-born Rodriguez has been a beacon for budding Clarets this season.

With striker Steven Thompson ruled out of this afternoon’s game at Derby County with ankle ligament damage and top scorer Martin Paterson recovering from a hamstring strain, the 19-year-old is pushing for his first senior start at Pride Park, having contributed five goals from the bench in all competitions, in his second year as a professional.

And Coyle is relishing the impact the progression of Fletcher could have on both players’ games.

“Wes Fletcher joined in training with us the other day and was terrific. He's one, along with those other boys, that have got chances,” said the Burnley boss, after also offering deals to defenders Chris Lynch and Nik Kudiersky, and midfield duo Chris Anderson and Alex-Ray Harvey.

“I would hope it's encouragement to them that they've seen Rodriguez and (Alex) MacDonald being involved.

“They've all got opportunities.

“The great thing is, with Wes being a striker, the two midfield lads and the two centre backs, they all play in different positions and it will be up to them to push each other on.

“That sense of competition and rivalry, as long as it's harnessed in the right way, which it is at this football club, then that's great for everybody.

“Those kids will be looking at what Jay's achieved. There's no doubt he's a talented player, but if they've got belief in their own ability then that's up to them to think 'I can achieve the same' and look to push on.”

Coyle made clear his intentions to reduce the average age of the squad on his arrival as manager in November 2007.

And he is delighted to see such focus on youth development, and homegrown talent, bearing fruit.

“I think it's testimony to how well those kids have been doing this year in the youth team, and I think it shows the way we're planning ahead for the future of the football club in that we really see young players coming through and hopefully going on to play for the Burnley first team,” he said.

“It will be up to them. We can impart knowledge and experience but ultimately, as Jay Rodriguez and Alex MacDonald have shown, it's when you cross that white line you have to go and deliver on it. And we think each and every one of them, individually, have all got a chance and that's why they've been offered the contracts that they have.

“It's up to them to grasp that and really take their game on.

“We don't have the biggest squad in the world it will be up to them when they come into training.”

And Coyle added that the intake could have been even greater.

“There were one or two others that were so close and ultimately you have to make decisions which, there's a fine line between them sometimes,” said the Burnley boss, who has first-year professional Alex MacDonald available for selection today following the teenager’s recovery from illness.

The midfielder, who celebrates his 19th birthday this month, starred in the reserves’ 4-1 win over Rochdale in midweek, scoring the first and last goals.

“Alex came on in the Arsenal game and, we didn't know at the time, but that tonsillitis was working over on him,” said Coyle.

“He missed 10 days after that but we're now gradually getting him back into it. He's looked sharp in training so we gave him the reserve game the other day, he did very well in it, and again at this important stage in the season we need all those lads available and fit.”