Becoming a professional footballer had been my lifelong dream, I came through at one of the world’s best teams, that had one of the best talent factories.
Arsenal signed me at the tender age of 9, but did they prepare me for a life in football or just use me?
It’s a question that I have looked back on and still unsure in its answer, however I do look back and reflect that after turning Pro a huge catalyst for my career was a deadline day transfer to Falkirk in the then SPL (Scottish Premier League).
It was the 30th of January 2006, I had just finished a routine training session with the reserve team and as I walked into the building, I was summoned by Head of Academy Liam Brady and David Court to their office. Being a young lad from a rough part of South London I naturally thought I had done something wrong, as I nervously knocked on the open door, I was told to come in. it was at this moment I was offered the opportunity to go on loan and there had been interest from a club in Scotland.
I will be completely honest here and admit I had never heard of them or its location, but without hesitation I said YES, I love a challenge and was filled with excitement. Arsenal had already a good relationship with Falkirk, two players from the year group above me were already at the club also on loan, Patrick Cregg and Stephen O’Donnell.
Although only 18 I feel that I was very open minded and able to take many things in my stride, everything was arranged between the two clubs, and I was given a couple sheets of paper with a flight itinerary and some contact information on. I then headed home to pack as much as I could possibly fit in my suitcase and backpack unknowing if I would return home during my four-month loan.
The hardest thing was telling my girlfriend, Lucie, whom I still with and have two amazing children. She did not take the news as easy as me but looking back I understand why. My parents also seemed less concerned than expected, I remember my dad telling me this is what you’ve done all the hard work for and now was the time to go prove myself.
The next day, bags filled to the brim, I headed to Gatwick airport a very short drive from our family home in Croydon. Luckily, I had flown a few times alone with football for pre-season trips or tournaments so was exploring an airport and looking after myself was nothing out of the ordinary. Still not knowing much information on Scottish football I did what any young man would do and bought a newspaper hoping to find out any bits of information possible.
Please bear in mind my mobile phone did not have a camera let alone the internet or social media back in 2006, and to be honest if my phone had the game ‘Snake’ I was happy.
On landing at Edinburgh airport, I once again checked my pieces of paper to see if there was information on how to get to Falkirk or if a club representative was meeting me, I was delighted in reading that I would be met by Ross Wilson the Club Secretary. I must mention here too that from having no idea what to expect, the car journey from the airport to the football stadium Ross had told me everything I needed to know about the club, the league, and the country.
Arriving at the stadium was very impressive, heading straight into the main entrance through a door and into the tunnel, there were images all over the walls of a successful promotion campaign the year before, this was the first season the had been in the SPL. Walking out onto the pitch and taking the whole stadium in, well two stands as the rest was not completed, I felt I real sense of belonging and wanted to help the club in whichever way I could.
Until I met the manager, John Hughes, nicknamed Yogi due to him being the size of a bear. He was a very imposing character; I had gone from the reserved but intellectual figure of Arsene Wenger to a man named after a bear.
Yogi was full of desire and passion, I straight away warmed to him I knew I had made a good decision; the club had been near the bottom of the table all season and was fighting for survival. He told me that I would have to be patient and earn my opportunity of game time, contract signed I was taken to a hotel where I would be staying until the club could find me somewhere to live.
I quickly learnt to get my head down, work hard and try let my ability to show through, the club found me an apartment to live on my own, this was new to me. I knew how to cook luckily, but my repertoire consisted of pasta 5 nights out of 7. One thing that stands out was my first ever bet on the horses, I lived in the same block as the other two Arsenal loanees and they spent a lot of free time at the bookies next door, so on my way home I went in with them. I did not have a clue what I was doing, but picked a horse that had my squad number 21, I watched the race with no idea which one was mine until it reached the finish line. It had won. Much to the annoyance of the other two lads, especially my £5 each way bet was on a long shot 50/1, I collected my winnings I head home laughing.
My patience and hard work paid off on March 25th when I made my debut, against Hearts, we won the game 2-1 and received my first ever Man-of-the-Match. I don’t remember much about the game, it passed me by so quickly, but I must have impressed, I went on to play the final seven matches of the season, we stayed up comfortably winning 5 out of the last 8 matches with one draw.
These eight games were invaluable to me, what a learnt, the joy of winning, the despair in losing.
Most of all it taught me independence, that I just had to put myself out there, no matter the scenario, embrace opportunities and fight for your place, wherever that might be.
