RORY McArdle believes West Ham have unearthed another defensive gem in Reece Burke.

The young Hammer has been a revelation in his season on loan at Valley Parade – culminating in his trophy haul at the City awards night recently.

Burke will make his 36th appearance on Sunday in the final league game against Chesterfield but is all geared up to take his first full campaign all the way to Wembley in the play-offs.

His long-term ambition is to crack the West Ham first team and follow in the illustrious footsteps of such luminaries down the years as England World Cup winner Bobby Moore, Billy Bonds and Rio Ferdinand.

Rory McArdle certainly believes he has all the attributes to make it to the top.

He said: “Reece has got some big West Ham names to follow at centre half but we’ve all seen that the ability is there. He’s shone this season in arguably his first full year.

“I don’t see why he can’t become a Premier League player. He’s got it all to be honest.

“I know he’s already played a few games at West Ham and they regard him very highly. Now you look at how much he has improved since coming up here.”

McArdle has watched that progress at close quarters since Burke made his City debut alongside him at Barnsley in August – the first of 26 clean sheets this season.

“You could see then that Reece was a good player and he’s really come on since then.

“Vocally he’s a lot louder and physically I think he’s grown a little bit too. His personality and character have come out over the season.

“I’m just glad he did come out on loan and not just stayed at West Ham playing under-21s.

“He has got a bigger profile now, everyone’s talking about him and he pretty much cleaned up at our awards.

“If he’d not made that decision, he might still be stuck at West Ham and thinking about what could have been.

“There’s no reason why he can’t keep progressing and keep learning and find himself back at West Ham playing in the first team.”

McArdle had no qualms in handing over the mantle as player of the year to his teenage sidekick. But he admits that Burke’s athletic approach does leave him feeling his age at times.

And he has no intention in trying to mirror the youngster’s eagerness to take the ball upfield.

“It makes me feel a little bit old when I see Reece running round all the time like he does,” he laughed.

“Even more so when he comes charging out with the ball. He enjoys getting possession.

“Seeing him go up the pitch does give the opposition a problem. You can see them thinking ‘who should go to him here’.

“He has done it all season and long may it continue.

“But you won’t get me trying that. I get a nose bleed if I go over the halfway line!

“I’ll leave it to Reece. It’s all right getting up the pitch but it is the running back as well.

“I’ll stay at the back with Darbs (Stephen Darby) and keep it solid and just go up for corners.

“But it was great to hand the trophy over to Reece last week.

“He is in the defenders’ union, which is always nice, and I think he deserved all the awards he got.

“You look at how well he has done. He is so composed and so relaxed when he is on the pitch.”