PENHILL youngster Kyle Lapham was poised for his senior debut at Huddersfield Town today.

Yet to convince Andy King that he should be offered a professional deal, the 19-year-old is in pole position to take advantage of an injury to Terriers old boy Steve Jenkins.

A regular for Ian Woan's Under 18s and the reserves this season, Lapham, pictured) has not even figured as an unused substitute for the senior team this year.

The club shop was hurriedly pressing his name on to a shirt, along with the number five, before the team set off for Huddersfield's Galpharm Stadium this morning.

King said: "He's an aggressive, honest kid on the pitch.

"He's been consistent for the Under 18s this year and they've been telling me about him all year.

"My judgement is can he play in my first team?

"Can he threaten Steve Jenkins?

"If he copes with the game admirably then maybe I'll look at the situation again."

Jenkins, a major doubt, was due to have a late fitness test on his left calf but with no decision expected until at least 1.30pm, King chuckled: "I think Kyle Lapham could have been a very nervous boy overnight."

While Lapham and his fellow youth teamers hope they will be offered the chance to step up, King has revealed that his quest to bring in fresh faces from outside the club will be far from simple.

A trial match for young hopefuls is scheduled for Tuesday with further 'hopefuls' likely to feature in Town's reserve side at Cardiff City on Wednesday.

As for queries to other clubs, King has made it crystal clear that the competition is going to be fierce this summer.

He said: "I only phoned on Friday morning about a kid and was told there's already six or seven other clubs after him.

"I'm not the only one who knows the game and knows players.

"So I'm in a queue with that one and we're not even talking about a well known player.

"It's only because of his electric pace, it's not that he's the finished article."