JOSH Vela is making plans for next season, where he believes the experience of an arduous 12 months can be put to good use.

Following team-mate Zach Clough’s lead, the home-grown midfielder has indicated he is looking to stick around at the Macron Stadium despite the club’s relegation to League One.

Vela has not yet made a century of senior appearances but currently stands as the most senior figure of a young band of players who look like they will provide the bedrock for rebuilding plans over the summer.

Like Clough, Vela’s loyalty may yet be tested by other clubs in the coming months but the tough-tackling Salfordian has one eye on the future at Wanderers, with him playing a central role.

“That has to be the main aim now – to keep positive and look to the future next season,” he said

“There will be a rebuild in the summer and there will no doubt be a younger team come August but I think it’s massively important that we build around the youth because there is a lot of talent which has come through the ranks.

“Of course we need some experience too but given that I have been in the mix for a couple of seasons now I’ll probably be considered an experienced head next year!”

The likes of Vela, Clough, Rob Holding, Oscar Threlkeld and Niall Maher have all progressed through the academy system since school, and he believes the camaraderie formed through years of moving through the age groups will create a unique atmosphere at the club next season.

“It’s great that we’ve got that group of players together who have come up from the youth ranks – we basically know each other inside out and have played alongside each other for years and years,” he said.

“We have got a good bond between us all and that will stand us in good stead, especially in the tougher situations.”

Things could hardly be tougher than they are right now for Wanderers, where a negative result against Hull City – already in the play-offs – would create an unwanted new club record of 26 league defeats.

Vela has enjoyed working under his academy mentor Jimmy Phillips but concedes things have not gone according to plan – with just one point taken from six games under the interim boss.

“I’ve really enjoyed working with Jimmy again as it’s been a couple of years since I dealt with him on the football side of things,” he said.

“When he was last in interim charge after Dougie Freedman left I was injured so I didn’t get to work with him, but this time I have really enjoyed it.

“He was with John Henry when I was 17 in the Under-21s – you are talking five years ago now, which is crazy!

“He’s a good guy, though, and loves the club. He has spent most of his career here and has been great to work with.

“It has just been a shame that results haven’t been great under him but it just sums up our luck this season – when it is against you it really truly is against you.

“As a whole they are a great bunch of coaches at the academy and the fact there are so many of us in the mix now speaks volumes about what they have done for us.”

Clough admitted earlier this week the younger players had escaped the heaviest of the fans’ blame as Wanderers lost their Championship status but Vela reckons even the most inexperienced members of the squad shoulder responsibility.

“Every team has hard times but we just seem to have had everything come at us all at once and it’s been a real test for everybody at the club,” he told the club.

“All the factors that have happened outside of the football, though, you can’t affect them and that is why we’ve literally had to concentrate on what we could affect, and that’s out there on the pitch.

“It’s definitely not an excuse for where we find ourselves, though – as players we take responsibility for the situation we’re in and we’re so sorry we couldn’t turn it around.”