On Sky over this weekend, the start of the series The Next Jamie Vardy, featuring former City youngster Luke Coulson.
He comes over as a decent lad.
From Manchester City starlet to joining Jamie Vardy's academy - Ebbsfleet's Luke Coulson on his tough journey in football
By Luke Coulson - @LukeCoulson8
Saturday, September 16, 2017
Luke Coulson is a non-league footballer for Ebbsfleet United and was one of the first players to sign up to Jamie Vardy’s V9 academy, which aims to find and help non-league talent follow in the England star's footsteps. Luke will feature in the first episode of 'The Next Jamie Vardy' on Sky this Saturday.
He writes...
As Jamie Vardy casually strolled towards me across the floodlit pitch of the King Power Stadium, the realisation of how big an opportunity this could be for me finally sank in.
After a career that rocketed from the depths of non-league to Premier League glory, Jamie created the V9 Academy to find and help young players that he believed had the potential to follow his path. To be able to say that I was amongst the group of players that he identified had the ability fills me with confidence that one day I can fulfil my own ambitions.
Those ambitions started when I was moving up through the ranks of Manchester City, an academy that at the time was renowned for producing English talent. At the age of seven I was scouted whilst playing for my local team Beechwood Juniors and, despite my dad supporting the red of Manchester, he advised me to wear the sky blue shirt.
Ten years later, aged 18, my journey with Manchester City ended. After completing a two-year scholarship, touring the world and playing in the Under-19 Champions League, I was told I would not be offered my first professional deal. A decision that would make me resent the football club for the following few years to come.
Trials at Stoke, Burnley and Leeds followed soon after without success. Contemplating the future and without many options, I was inspired by the growing opportunities across the pond and decided to join Michigan University. However, after three months and with my confidence regained, I returned home with a new self-belief and signed for Cardiff City after a trial match against Millwall.
The two years that followed in the Welsh capital were mainly comprised of Under-21 football, aside from a 20-minute cameo in the FA Cup against Macclesfield. Despite having nothing but admiration for the club, it was time to move on and find first-team football. In my head, I was being brave in the pursuit of my dream and I was going to sign for a team and prove my ability. Yet the reality was much different.
Six months and eight trials later, I was a 20-year-old footballer without a football club. The trials took me from teams in the Championship to League Two but I was turned away every time. ‘We have no money’. ‘You’re not brave enough’. ‘We have other options’. ‘You’re not good enough’. I heard them all. I was put in touch with Weston-Super-Mare in the Conference South but even they decided not to let me attend training.
In desperation for football and living back with my parents in Somerset, I ran out in the red and white of Radstock Town in the Western League Division One and I was given £5 towards my petrol. After two games and the fear of injury, I decided to wait for the phone to ring - and it finally did.
In the January of 2015, Justin Merritt, the manager of Oxford City in the Conference South, invited me down to train and offered me a non-contract of £250-a-week. I was starting at the bottom but it was football, so I snatched at the opportunity. After my first game against Barrow, they offered me a contract until the summer and before long I signed an extension.
In my second season at the club, I was given permission for a two-week trial at Crewe but terms weren’t agreed and then in January of 2016 I was bought by Eastleigh in the National League. The feeling of being bought by a club is exhilarating. The fee may have been slightly less than that of Neymar but, at that moment, I didn’t care.
I felt my confidence grow once again whilst playing with Eastleigh and despite starting the 2016/17 season sidelined through injury, I soon found my form. After scoring six goals in four games, I was invited to join the England C Squad - comprised of the best players in non-league - for a training camp in October. That is where I met John Morris, the agent of Jamie Vardy, and I first heard of the V9 Academy.
John explained the idea behind the academy - offering advice and support to talented non-league footballers and giving them a platform to showcase their talent by holding training camps in front of league clubs - and asked me to be one of the first players to join. My reaction: ‘where do I sign?’
The following month, I arrived at the King Power Stadium along with Dan Newton and James Montgomery, two players who like me wanted to prove they were capable of playing at a higher level. Jamie Vardy gave us a tour of the stadium before we signed on the dotted line. The man who we are trying to emulate was exactly how I expected him to be: humble, quick with a joke and easy to talk to.
Despite my obvious excitement to be selected for the V9 Academy, I did not attend this summer’s camp, held at Manchester City’s training ground, as I had already achieved my Football League dream having been bought by Barnet in the January transfer window.
The move resulted in conflicting emotions for as disappointed as I was not to continue working with the V9, I was delighted as I had finally made it to the Football League.
Unfortunately, my time in League Two was brief as a change of manager at Barnet and a lack of opportunities saw me depart this summer for National League side Ebbsfleet United. Under my new manager Daryl McMahon and at such a fantastic club, I am confident that I have taken one step back to go forward in the future and my ambitions haven’t changed.
Jamie Vardy was playing in the National League himself only five years ago. He understands better than anyone that the non-league tiers of football are littered with talented players that are good enough to play at a higher level and simply need to be given an opportunity. Like Jamie, I’ve had a tough journey in football. But I continue to pursue my dream and maybe one day – with a little of his help along the way - I’ll get to the top.
Read more at
https://talksport.com/football/non-leag ... vH6zpXQ.99