Why Birmingham City's Robin Shroot is happy to be playing reserve team football ... for now!

Oct 17 2009 by Andy Walker, Birmingham Mail

ROBIN Shroot may have nothing but reserve team football to look forward to for the next two-and-a-half months but you won’t find the Blues man sulking.

Even if Alex McLeish’s first team was struck down with the worst injury crisis possible, Shroot would still have to kick his heels in the second string. However, the 21-year-old winger isn’t complaining.

Shroot had his season-long loan spell at League Two Burton Albion surprisingly cut short earlier this month and as he technically remains a Brewers player, he is unable to play at any level above reserves until the deal can be “formally” cancelled on January 1.

Yet when the confident Londoner reflects on where he was exactly 12 months ago, training for a Premier League club isn’t something that he is taking for granted.

Shroot completed a fairy-tale rise into the Blues first-team back in January during the FA Cup defeat to Wolves, just days after joining from non-league Harrow Borough.

And while he hasn’t been able to add to that solo senior appearance, he’s still making the most of every day at Blues.

“I’ve come from non-league so I love every day at Blues and I look forward to learning more,” said Shroot, who had a lively introduction to Blues reserves’ 3-1 victory over Solihull Moors on Tuesday night.

“I said last season that from where I come from and to be in with the players that I am, it’s a blessing.

“I take the positives from everything and try and learn every single day. I’m allowed to play in reserves games until January but I was playing at Ramsgate away this time last year.

“Playing in a Premier League side’s reserves side for someone like me can only be beneficial. I don’t see how I can’t improve,” he said.

“It’s step-by-step. From watching the games you can see that you’re playing with good quality opposition – first-team players – you can’t not learn. I know that the harder I work then the further I will get.”

While his stay at the Pirelli Stadium may have ended prematurely, Shroot still managed to notch up five starts and two substitute appearances in League Two for Burton.

And having also made five appearances from the bench for Walsall during a short-term loan spell in League One last season, the ex-Wimbledon trainee insists it’s all good experience.

He added: “Playing in League Two was certainly an experience and I feel that when I played, I played well and got good reports.

“I’ve benefited and I’ve seen what it’s like to play against big men every week.

“But now it’s just good to be back training at Birmingham.”