JAKE: I’M MAN ON A MISSION

Clarke-Salter 79

JAKE CLARKE-SALTER was once labelled the next John Terry, a comparison which heaps pressure on a youngster still hoping to make his way at Chelsea.

So far the route has been a roundabout one for the England Under-21 captain – Birmingham is his fourth loan club and he has only just made the breakthrough at St Andrew’s.

But after heading a late equaliser against Millwall, the 22-year-old centraldefender was looking on the bright side.

Clarke-Salter admitted: “It was an unbelievable feeling to get off the mark. I’m really happy to be playing.

“I wanted to come and play football and at the start of the season I wasn’t getting much of that. It was difficult. I haven’t come here not to play but all the teammates have been great around me, keeping me positive.

“I’ve had some good experiences with the England youth sides but I just want to establish myself in men’s football.”

Clarke-Salter (above) has a perfect incentive – kids will get a chance at Stamford Bridge under Frank Lampard.

Birmingham boss Pep Clotet has a similar philosophy which is why Jude Bellingham, 16, played his ninth successive league game and why Connal Trueman, 23, has just become firstchoice keeper.

Trueman made some brilliant saves but was undone by a rare strike from 33-year-old Irishman Shaun Williams.

Williams joked: “I haven’t got one for a while and my kids have been getting on my back about not scoring.”