Why Sheffield Wednesday have let young Owls midfielder Liam Shaw join Chesterfield on loan

The promising youngster, a key member of the Owls Under-18s team that secured the league and play-off double, today joined the Spireites on a one-month loan deal.

First-team chief Garry Monk said: "We hope he gets experience. It is a great opportunity for him.

"With any young players, that is always the natural next step.

"They come through the academy. Unless you are in exceptional circumstances and talent in terms of going straight into the first-team and playing 30 to 40 games, it is very difficult in the Championship because of the demands of the league physically.

"Young players always get to a level where 23s football is not quite enough but they are not quite ready for the first-team. A loan is the in between bit where they can go out and get experience and proper men's football.

"Playing in a team where you have to play to win and getting that experience always bodes well for young players as an experience."

Several academy players, including Alex Hunt, Conor Grant, Fraser Preston and Preslav Borukov, have trained with the senior team since Monk's arrival in early September.

"We use a lot of the young players for training so we have been able to have a good look at them," said Monk.

"As you would expect with any club, some are a bit further ahead in development than others.

"There's definitely some potential there. We just have to try and find the right way to help them. Things like sending them out on loan to get experience is a big thing.

"We have had a variety of young players training with us and I always enjoy that.

"We then try and decide what is best for their future and how we can develop them even further."