Gloucester City boss Tim Harris is confident that three of his young stars currently out on loan will return to the club at some stage to push for first team action.

Left-sided defender or midfielder Will Tunnicliff is currently playing for Bishop’s Cleeve while Edji Mbunga and Reece King are obtaining game time at Hednesford Town in the Northern Premier League.

It’s been a tough learning curve for Tunnicliff in particular as Cleeve have struggled for points in Southern League Division One South and West but that’s exactly what Harris wants as he looks to fast-track their development.

“It’s a big step up from youth team to National League South,” said Harris, “that’s why we send these players out on loan. These boys need to be playing football regularly and they wouldn’t get that if they stayed with us.

“They need to get a good run of games under their belt this season to toughen them up and then they’ll hopefully definitely be pushing for our first team.”

Striker Mbunga and midfielder King have helped steer Hednesford into mid-table in the Premier Division of the Northern Premier League and Harris added: “They’ve done really well. It is difficult for these youngsters but it’s important that when they step up for us they are ready to play.”

Harris, of course, knows as much if not more about managing a football club on a shoestring budget than almost anyone else.

And if the likes of Tunnicliff, Mbunga and King need any evidence about the importance of playing games out on loan they need look no further than Gloucester striker Karnell Chambers.

He spent much of last season out on loan with Cinderford Town and after a brief spell in Sweden has returned to Gloucester and has been among the goals this season.

“He got released by Cheltenham Town and has the ability to go back into the professional games as he now has got stronger,” said Harris. “He’s now developing very well.”

Developing their own players is key for a club like Gloucester City, of course, who have been homeless for more than 10 years since the floods of 2007 forced them out of their Meadow Park ground.

These days they call Evesham United’s ground ‘home’, and Harris admitted: “It’s not easy for us having to play our home games in Worcestershire.

“We’re competing against clubs in our division who have got budgets four or five times what ours is, so developing our own players is the only way forward for the club.

“We have to nurture them and put them into the team at the right time.”

Of one thing you can be certain, if the youngsters have the potential then Harris is the best man to help them succeed.