Norwich City starlet Michael Spillane is determined to emulate Chris Martin and make a big impression on the first team at Carrow Road. Spillane watched the Beccles youngster steal the headlines on Tuesday evening against Blackpool as he grabbed a late winner to set up today's FA Cup showdown with Jose Mourinho's Chelsea.

Norwich City starlet Michael Spillane is determined to emulate Chris Martin and make a big impression on the first team at Carrow Road.

Spillane watched the Beccles youngster steal the headlines on Tuesday evening against Blackpool as he grabbed a late winner to set up today's FA Cup showdown with Jose Mourinho's Chelsea.

And Spillane revealed that the man he has grown up with through the Canaries youth system could be destined for the very top.

“It's great to see one of your mates score a winning goal at Carrow Road and I'm really pleased for him. He's obviously a good player and he always has been.

“I first played with him when I was about 13 and even then you could tell he was a player that could make it.”

Spillane himself has been in and out of the first team squad since manager Peter Grant was appointed in October but the Republic of Ireland youngster is determined to make his mark just like his pal.

“I got another 90 minutes under my belt for the reserves the other day. I went away with Ireland the other weekend and got another 90 minutes then. I'm just trying to get games really and any action I can get is always a bonus for me. Hopefully I can then get in the first team squad.”

Spillane admitted that he may have to go out on loan to get some more match practice in the way that the likes of the Ryan and Rossi Jarvis have, to Torquay United and Leyton Orient respectively.

“It would probably be up to the manager but anywhere to get games would be a possibility. I just want to get games and play football.

“I need to be playing so that I can show the manager what I can do. There hasn't been a lot of reserve games lately but hopefully there will be more coming up that will not be called off.”

Meanwhile, academy and reserve team manager Ricky Martin hopes to use the impression that his namesake has made on the Canaries' first team as a “motivational tool” to the other youngsters at the club.

He said: “Chris Martin is the end product of what we are trying to achieve here. He can be used as a motivational tool and should be an inspiration to any centre forward in the youth ranks who should want to score a winning goal at Carrow Road just like he has.”

Ricky hopes that it will not be long before another youth team player breaks into the first team squad.

He said: “When you get one, sometimes another one comes along almost immediately. We'll be pushing now. Chris has made that gap from the youth team to the first team a little bit smaller and hopefully we can get a few more to join up with the likes of Chris, Michael, Joe (Lewis) and Robert (Eagle).”

Ricky also revealed that he is relishing the task of managing the Canaries reserve team - a post he was asked to take up when Keith Webb left for King's Lynn.

“The manager has just asked me to fill a gap. It's been refreshing and a challenge that I've enjoyed and an opportunity to not only work with youth team players but professionals as well.”

When asked whether he would consider doing the job on a permanent basis, he said: “Nothing has been discussed at the moment and the manager just said can I feel the gap to the end of the season and then we'll review it in the summer.”