TABLE tennis starlet Matthew Fields has already proved he has the talent to make it big among the nation’s top juniors, and now he is preparing to put his potential to the test against the grown ups.

The schoolboy from Westhoughton — just 12 years old and standing a mere 4ft 11ins tall — will be the youngest and smallest player in the prestigious British League when he turns out for Team Tameside in the coming season.

It will be a big step for a kid who has been playing the game for just three years, but Matthew — the best in the North West in his age group and tipped to go right to the top — appears undaunted at the prospect of bypassing the British Junior League, which is the traditional route to the senior ranks.

“It’s just going to be good experience,” he said with a matter-of-fact shrug of the shoulders. “I’m not used to playing against adults of that standard — normally I play against people around the same age as me — but my ambition is to play in the Olympics, so this is all part of what I have to do.”

With London 2012 on the horizon, there are thousands of aspiring sportsmen and women who have the Olympics in their sights. But neither Matthew nor the people around him, who all believe he has what it takes to play at the highest level, are in any hurry.

“I’m aiming for 2016,” he said, suggesting he, for one, is not getting carried away despite already having won the Bolton, Preston and Greater Manchester junior titles.

There is little chance of that, however. His father, Andy, and his various coaches all believe he has the potential to compete with the best but know that the acid test will come when he pits his wits against top seniors on a regular basis.

Joe Beadle, table tennis development officer for Tameside who has drafted Matthew into a six-man squad for the British League season that starts in September, said: “It’s a big thing for a little fella but Matthew certainly has the talent.

“He’s got to where he’s got the hard way; taking his batterings as well as enjoying his wins, so he can handle it.

“He’s going to come up against some of the best players in the UK but he’s a cracking little player and, from what we’ve seen so far, he tends to play even better if he thinks he’s got no chance.

“The big six-footers he plays against are going to be surprised when they come up against such a little lad, but they’ll be even more surprised when they see him play.”

Matthew, a pupil at Canon Slade School, showed his mettle when he reached the quarter-finals of the National Championships at Norwich last month — with a broken left arm.

Although he is right-handed, the injury threatened to put him out of the championships but he was able to compete thanks to an understanding doctor.

“The surgeon agreed not to have the arm plastered and Matthew played with the help of pain-killers and his left arm in a sling and still got through his group and two knockout rounds,” said his proud father.

“I don’t know how far he would have got had his arm not been broken.”

Matthew, who plays for Hilton in the Bolton Table Tennis League, has had his talent recognised by his school and by Bolton Council, who are playing their part in his development. Rated as “potentially world class” by top North West coach Jim Clegg who takes him for weekly training sessions, he is excused PE lessons at school which allows him one-to-one tuition from top Bolton player Mick Moir at Castle Leisure Centre, which is made available free of charge under the council’s sports and inclusion scheme.

“He’s got lots of people all over the place who are helping him develop and get better,” Mr Fields said. “The rest is up to him.”

He will at least have the advantage of being in familiar surroundings when he makes his debut in the British League. Team Tameside kick off their season in Division Four North at Matthew’s home base, the Hilton Centre in Horwich, on Sept 5 and 6.