Witham Town assistant manager Brad King still feels Tom Wraight is destined for the Football League or the top level of the Conference despite the midfielder not getting offered a contract by Ipswich Town.

The 20-year-old has spent the last two weeks on trial with the Championship side and King said the coaching staff at the Suffolk club had felt Wraight’s age played against him with the situation that they have found themselves in this year.

King said: “I have spoken to Ipswich’s under-21 manager Mark Kennedy regularly and he was impressed with Tom from day one.

“However due to his age – he will be 21 in June – he is only able to play for the under-21s for the rest of this season.

“So he was having to demonstrate he was ready to possibly be competing for a first-team place in the Premiership should they get promoted and that is a big ask in such a short space of time for development.

“The problem is, if he can’t play for the under-21s and isn’t ready for the first team then he is unable to develop.

“(Ipswich manager) Mick (McCarthy) didn’t feel he was ready for that just yet.

“I believe should he have been a year younger, they would have given him a year to develop in the under-21s.

“But Tom should be proud anyhow and I still say that he will be playing in the Football League or minimum Conference in the not too distant future if he keeps doing what he does best.”