Plucked from Spurs' Academy following his release, City trainee Mark O'Toole has his sights set on winning a professional contract at the end of the season. He spoke to James Bigg about life at Colney.

Having just turned 18, Mark O'Toole is now legally entitled to vote, drink or - if the mood should take him - join the army. In other words, he's now considered an adult. Which means it's now time to make the transition from youth football to the rough and readiness of the senior game.

Left-back O'Toole has already sampled some of this, having made two appearances for the reserves this season, even getting on the scoresheet once. And he said he was enjoying the added responsibility of second string football.

"It's good to be included and I want to do well when I get the chance," he said. "You are playing against older players and it's also really good to get the experience of playing at Carrow Road."

It's an experience O'Toole would love to experience in the first team one day, and with Glenn Roeder now in charge, the youngster knows the Canaries have a gaffer dedicated to the development of younger players. During Roeder's time at West Ham and Newcastle he was successful in blooding a number of young stars in the first team. In short, if you're good enough you're old enough.

"All of the youth team met the new manager and he spoke to us and told us what he expected," said O'Toole. "He said he expects us to give 100 per cent all the time and work as hard as we can."

O'Toole was spotted playing for Spurs and was invited by then-youth recruitment officer Terry Harvey to come down for a trial.

"I came down and immediately liked it and wanted to join the Club," added O'Toole, another youngster to be impressed by the facilities on offer by the Canaries.

"I just want to keep working hard to try and earn that professional contract. It's good being here and I'm really enjoying it."

It's been a big 12 months for all the Academy scholars, with each of them hungry to make it as a professional when the season comes to an end. The benefits of training every day, whether that be on the pitches or in the weights room, cannot be underestimated, and O'Toole believed living that kind of lifestyle had improved him no end.

"I think I've improved well and I just want to keep working hard so I can get better and better," he said. "I think I've developed more physically and that's only happened by training every day and making sure I'm eating the right things."

Versatility can also be a big bonus for a young player. In an age when finances at most Championship clubs are tight, having a squad full of people able to play more than one position can be very important, and O'Toole has already added another string to his bow.

"I'm a left back and prefer playing there," he said. "But I have played centre back a few times for the youth team. It's been good to get the experience in the reserves and also of playing a different position."