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By Brendan McFadden

He may have swapped life in the Championship as a Blue, for the claret and blue of the Iron in League One, but there's still plenty to smile about for a certain Birmingham City youngster.

Krystian Pearce, not allowed to play in Saturday's FA Cup sponsored by E.ON first round clash at Walsall by his parent club, joined United in a loan move from Midlands side Birmingham City in August and hasn't looked back since.

The signing follows an ever-increasing trend in higher-tier clubs who farm out their young talent to lower league sides to give them invaluable first team experience.

Pearce has enjoyed a good run in the side, and been a key player during the club's recent spell of table-topping form.

The 18-year-old central defender hasn't taken too long to adapt to life in League One, and is full of praise for his new adopted home in North Lincolnshire.

"It has been great since I got here really, we've won most of our games. Hopefully we can maintain that for as long as possible. We have a good squad together here, and I think we can go on and do well this season," he said.

"The team spirit is brilliant here and confidence is high at the moment. There's great competition for places as well - which means we are all trying to do well and stay in the team, and that's always a good thing.

"As soon as I arrived here to speak to the gaffer, and had a look around I knew that this was a good club that was going places, and the move here was going to be the right one."

"All the lads are great here, and I've made friends and gelled with everybody really," he smiled.

There certainly seems to be a bright future ahead of the tough-tackling defender, who was highly rated at St. Andrews.

Faith in his ability was recently shown when he received a call-up to the England U19 squad by boss Brian Eastick for their preliminary European Championship qualifiers in Coleraine last month.

"I'm happy to be selected for the U19s, and it's great to be involved with them," he added.

"It's a great experience for me, and it is a great standard to play at. "We have a good squad and think that we have potential to do well in the tournament."

The defender also hints that there is still more to come from him and the rest of the Scunthorpe team this term. 

The young player is relishing the opportunity to show what he can do in a team which he believes is full of potential.

He added: "This season I just want to keep in the team and performing well, it's good to get away from Birmingham and get some first team experience which is what I need at the moment.

"I want to help Scunthorpe get promoted, while also getting some good experience playing in the first team which will hopefully help me in the future.

"My opportunities at Birmingham were a little bit limited, but now I'm here I want to try and impress and improve my game.

"I feel I'm doing that every time I step on the pitch at the moment.

"Every game is important at the moment nobody is getting to carried away and there is still a long way to go in the season, but things are looking good.

"We still haven't hit top gear, and I'm sure there's still plenty more to come from me, and everybody else in the side. "