My name is Charlie and I am a 16 year old player, from Lincolnshire, I currently represent Cleethorpes Town at Under 18 and reserve level. I am writing in response to the professional club scouting article, as I for one have experienced a tough time in a clubs academy. I was scouted at age 9 after impressing in football in the community sessions at my local park by Grimsby Town, and was then formally offered a trial age 11 after scoring 56 league goals in the most competitive local league. I was offered a contract in December 2011, and agreed to sign as I was an enthusiastic player thinking this was my chance to break through.

I am a small built boy, still only 5 foot 7 inches tall aged 16, I was signed as a “Number 10”, as I had high energy, pace to burn and an eye for goal. Everything was well for me, I signed and in the first half year I had scored a reasonable 10 goals. But the end of the season was when my head was first turned away from professional youth team football. No league? No trophies? Not even a team day doing something with each other arranged.

I returned for pre-season in the 2012/13 season as fit as a fiddle, excited to get back playing with a ball, but in fact all we got was heavy fitness drills, which now I understand, but we were 11 and 12 year old boys at the time. Anyway, I had turned up this season, 62 goals later since signing that contract (Yes, I keep count of my goals) to which I was told, “We will be playing 4-3-3 this year”.

A questionable decision by all the parents and players. Target Man. A phrase we are all familiar with now. The big lad up top, who is tall, big built and is trained to keep hold of the ball back to goal. I was then told this has to be me. I had gym training with the club weekly, trying to get me stronger, I had weekly training on poor surfaces which caused injuries to a different lad every week.

I wasn’t enjoying my football anymore, everyone on the sidelines could see, what happened to the boy, the one who turned up weekly with a smile on his face and an energetic goal celebration to go with. Mid-October time, away against Notts County, 20 minutes of the 90 I played, because I was told I don’t hold up the play well, which is understandable when the two lads defending against me were a foot taller and bigger.

I was a 15 year old boy coming off the pitch in tears, because I was criticised every week by the coaches for either not scoring enough, not assisting enough, not holding the ball up enough, or any other reason they could think of. This was when I got called up to the Youth Team for their home game at Cheapside, nervous still. I didn’t get on but the YT Manager told me they were impressed with my play in the warm up anyway.

December came, the mid-season appraisals, I walked in, happy, as I was the top scorer of the team with 15, (The next lad had about 4 goals). I was released immediately. Not because of my footballing ability, but because I was told there and then, I am “TOO SMALL” to play football. I walked out crying my eyes out, but I had all the support from my friends who were shocked at the decision, I was signed up 2 days later for Cleethorpes Town, and told I will play my natural game, before finishing the season with 20 goals for them.

Unfortunately I know I’m not the only one this has happened too, and I am a big supporter of grassroots football, as it has restored a smile back on my footballing face, and I seriously agree that clubs get it wrong scouting kids, and that our national game is struggling because we teach players how it ‘should be played’ rather than developing how they play it.