Gavin Gunning says he still feels the Swindon Town’s under-18s are still a way off having first-team involvement despite their FA Youth Cup heroics.

Town made the Youth Cup fifth round for the first time since 2007/08 last Tuesday as Botan Ameen netted twice in a 2-0 victory over a previously undefeated Manchester United side in what was a marvellous team display.

Despite those performances and many of the protagonists having previously been involved with the first team, Gunning said that he does not see the under-18s having much participation in the near future.

He said: “It is going to be good because we are going to have the kids training beside us more often, so they can be involved a lot more and bring everything together with the first team.

“In the first team, I wouldn’t think they would be involved that soon, I think that it is a bit early for all of them but come the end of the season you never know.

“It is a big difference coming up against some 17-year-olds at Manchester United compared to playing against a 32-year-old centre-half.

“Don’t get me wrong the academy is doing so many good things but it is a different beast, and you have to look after these kids.

“As well as giving them that chance you have to sometimes pull the reigns back and have a realism with it.”

Under-18s manager Sean Wood said that the first team involvement that the academy players have had this year has been pivotal in their development and the culmination of years of work.

He said: “The way this year has gone has been years in the making from all the staff that have been involved with the players.

“This is something that is more the model of the club and trying to give younger players the opportunity to see the next stage of their development and be in and around the first team environment at the right times.

“We have had four league debuts this year and a lot of the boys have been involved in the EFL Trophy and now they know what a League Two game and a tough game look like.

“I think those experiences are what we are trying to offer, getting more of our young players closer to being involved and getting more Harrison Minturns in our first team will be the goal moving forward.”