Speaking exclusively to GOAL in association with ToonieBet, Heskey said when asked if Reigan needs to get out of his comfort zone in Manchester and experience ‘real’ competition: “I think within football you need to have senior experience. Because the reality is you could be the best at 16, 17, 18 until you go and get that experience. You play against a grown man who has experience, who probably isn't your level but the mental side and the understanding of things positional-wise can better you.
“You need to figure all that out and then you're figuring out things during the game. So all players I would say at a young age need to get that experience. You look at the young lad down in London, [Max] Dowman, at 15, 16 what he's doing. It's all well and good doing it at 15, 16 against 18-year-olds but when you go into the first team if you can't do it there and it doesn't transcend into that, it really doesn't matter.
“So yes, at some stage and that's why with Jaden we had to take a jump of getting first-team football as opposed to being captain of the 21's and winning the 21's trophies and all the accolades that come with that. That's great but you need to play first team football because long-term that's what matters.”