Q: Who did you go to for advice at this point in your career (aside from your parents), and what advice did they give you?
I have a very good agent, who I have had since I was 16, who was also a player before becoming an agent and has always given sound advice. I have also been influenced by Jack Collison and Grant McCann and I still have regular contact with a coach that I played for as a young player, Kit Carson, whose advice has always been spot-on.
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Q: Stints at St. Mirren and Halifax followed. Has that given you an insight into the fairly ‘nomadic’ world of a professional footballer and if you’re honest, were you ready for the trials and tribulations that comes with setting up ‘home’ in different parts of the country as and when?
No, St Mirren came straight after West Ham and before Peterborough and whilst I was at Peterborough, Grant MaCann wanted to get me more 1st team football, so arranged a loan spell to Halifax. Cheltenham Town or Newport County were also options.
I went to Halifax as it was promised that I would get regular first team starts, and also I was able to train in the week with Peterborough and travel up for games. This was exactly what I needed to get the experience. But footballers are nomadic and although I have bonded well with all the players I have played with, I know that things can change quickly.
With social media and instant contact via phones and email, it is not so lonely as I imagine it must have been years ago, but it is all part of the job and that’s why you have to be strong mentally.
I have enjoyed having my own flat/house and I have learnt to cook quite well (well steak is quite easy isn’t it!!) and keep the place running smoothly. I am the age when most young people are at Uni, so it’s not that much different to a lot of my friends.
Q: What were the reasons why you stayed at neither club?
My three-month loan at Halifax ended so I returned to my parent club Peterborough and as mentioned previously, St Mirren offered me a new contract, but I decided not to accept for the reasons I have already stated.
Q: You’re now at Sligo Rovers in the League of Ireland and doing exceptionally well by all accounts. If you had a crystal ball, would you prefer to stay there for the foreseeable future or do you still harbour ambitions to make it at a higher level in England?
Dave Robertson is the manager at Sligo Rovers and he is of course the manager that signed me at PB and I welcomed the opportunity to link up with him in Ireland. The original plan was for me to come out on Loan from PB, but on further discussion, it seemed better for me to sign permanently until the summer break. But after a few short weeks of being out here in Ireland, the Manager, together with the Club, approached me about signing a long term contract, which after careful consideration & negotiations etc, I decided to accept and which will take me through til the end of 2017 season. The new contract does include a release clause should any club from outside of Ireland come in for me, the same as it includes to protect Sligo Rovers interest as well with a compensation fee which was another reason why I was keen to put a new contract in place to ensure Sligo Rovers benefited out of any potential move for me. Sligo Rovers gives me an opportunity to showcase my ability in a league that is continually being watched by UK clubs from English & Scottish Premiership down to the English Conference levels, so the chances are, if I continue to perform I will reep the benefits at some time in the future. Sligo Rovers has looked after me so well and I am surrounded by players of the same age, both Irish and English all of whom live close by. There is a good team spirit, so I am thoroughly enjoying my time out here, which I think shows in my games. None of us have a crystal ball, but should another UK club come in for me, that was the right fit, both on and off the pitch, then of course, I would have to look at that. I am still young with a long career in front of me and my aim is to play at the highest level possible. |
Q: How does the football in Ireland compare to that which you’ve played in England?
The standard over here in Ireland is very good. We played Portsmouth just last week in fact, who were over here on their pre-season tour.
The 1st half was played as a testimonial for one of our players which ended with them being 3-0 up at half time, but the 2nd half was played by both teams first team, which was more of a test and played at a high tempo to which we ended up turning a 3-0 deficit into a 3-3 draw come full time so we more than held our own against a division 2 side.
Remember Portsmouth, who play in front of 20,000 at home every week were beaten in the league two play-off final last season. There are a lot of good young players in this league so it’s not hard to see why it is a good hunting ground for English and Scottish league clubs, which has been the case for a long time now.
Q: You’re still a youngster yourself but what advice would you give to a young player, and indeed their parents, who might be considering making the step up from local football to Academy level? What are the pros and cons of the same in your opinion?
Firstly I would encourage parents and young players to enjoy their football, playing locally and for their school for as long as possible and not enter into the professional system until they are older, perhaps 13 or 14.
It’s a massive commitment from the whole family, including any other siblings etc and you’re not guaranteed anything at the end of it, even though you may be signed to an academy.
The pressure you feel once you join a professional club can be overwhelming as you don’t want to let waste your opportunity. On the up side, it is a fantastic experience and you get to make a lot of friends and if you’re like me, you get paid for doing something you love every day!
However, ability alone is not enough, you have to be mentally strong, able to adapt and willing to listen, but also understand that you have to deal with a lot of downtime, when there is little to occupy you, such as when you are staying in hotels, or traveling between matches – learning to deal with this is also a very big part of the job, as is dealing with the constant scrutiny from others.
Q: Finally, and looking a little more long term….the life of a professional footballer is notoriously short. What plans have you got for when your career is over?
No idea – Im just enjoying what I am doing at the moment and at 21 years old, I would hope that I have a long career ahead of me still!!!
