Name: Reubon Noble-Lazarus
Date of Birth: 16th August 1993
Position: Striker/Left winger
Club: Barnsley
Previous Clubs: None
Noble-Lazarus is a pacey striker with a deadly eye for goal. The 5'11 hitman joined Barnsley aged 12 and has enjoyed great success at Oakwell.
2008/9 was a great one for the youngster. He smashed an eighty year old record for the youngest ever player in the Football league when he appeared as a late sub in the Tykes defeat away at Ipswich, aged just 15 years and 45 days. Simon Davey had attempted to play the hitman earlier in the season in the Carling Cup but the competitions rules state that all players must be over the age of 15, and he was under that bracket at the time. He made his home debut days later against Doncaster before again dropping down to youth team level as Simon Davey insisted he would let him develop and not rush him. He still had a year left in school and a deal was struck between the club and his school whereby the youngster was allowed two days out of school per week to train with the Tykes first team. Although he didn't make another first team appearance, he was an unused sub numerous times, he did score seven goals for the U18's, ending one behind top scorer Jamil Adam.
So far this season he has yet to make a first team appearances but is top scorer in the Tykes U18 side, with three goals, despite being injured at the start of the season. Barnsley have decided not to put out a reserve team this season and so that progression has been taken away from Noble-Lazarus.
Aston Villa are among a number of clubs who are, or have been, watching the youngster and Barnsley expect a fight to keep hold of the wonderkid, who is still too young to sign a professional contract.