ONE of Town’s most promising youngsters has made the biggest decision of his footballing life so far, by turning down a switch to Premier League Chelsea.

Twelve-year-old midfielder Jordan Young has caught the eye of several top-flight clubs, and Chelsea made a substantial offer with add-ons in an attempt to lure the starlet to Stamford Bridge.

However, the Chippenham-based player decided he did not want to make the regular commute to and from London and was content to remain at SN1.

“It was a bit too far and it would have been a big change,” said Young, who attends Hardenhuish School.

“I enjoy playing at Swindon and I’m very happy where I am at the moment.”

Centre of Excellence director Jeremy Newton was delighted that Young had taken the decision to turn down the advances of the top-flight giants.

“It’s unbelievable for a 12-year-old when you’ve got the likes of Chelsea wishing to sign him,” said Newton.

“From a club point of view it’s fantastic news for us. We are delighted with the way Jordan is progressing and he is one of a number of players who we have high hopes for.

“We’re trying to create a positive learning environment for all our players, and if our players are acknowledged by Premiership clubs then obviously it says that we’re doing the right things.”

Young, a Liverpool fan who models himself on Steven Gerrard, joined Swindon’s Centre of Excellence as an eight-year-old and recently signed a contract that ties him to the club until 2015.

  • LOUIS Thompson is another Town player who has been catching the eye of Premier League scouts in recent weeks.

The 16-year-old midfielder, who has been watched by Manchester United on a number of occasions, was named on the bench for the FA Cup first round game with Huddersfield and is now expected to start training with the first team on a regular basis.