GO PROFESSIONAL

PICTURED ABOVE: Left to Right: Danny Graham (Carlisle United); Carl Jones (York City); Kris Thackray (Reginna); Chris Basham (Bolton Wanderers) Chester-le-Street Town youths have had a lot of recent success in seeing players from the club progress through to the professional game. Whilst some have made the grade with YTS Schemes or Apprenticeships, and then found their way back into the Arngrove Northern League, a number of ex-Chester-le-Street Youth players have made a permanent residence in the professional game. Probably the most successful today is Carlisle United striker DANNY GRAHAM, 22, who left Chester-le-Street to join Middlesbrough in the 2002/03 season. Danny took to the stage at Chester-le-Street and was very instrumental in the club’s F.A. Youth Cup campaign that season scoring in every round. The club eventually went down 2-1 after extra-time at home to Martin Scott’s Hartlepool United and Graham’s goal that night helped him with his move to the ‘Boro. October 2003 saw Danny make his Premiership Debut – at Old Trafford of all places – in a 1v1 United / Boro draw. Danny had loan spells with Derby County, Leeds United and Blackpool before sealing a summer move 2007/08 move to Carlisle United. He has represented England at Under 21 International Level. CARL JONES situation was entirely different and in his case it was “Second Time Lucky”. Having been on the books of Hartlepool United School of Excellence, at 16, Jones was released by Pools and immediately joined Chester-le-Street Town. A change of management at youth team level at Hartlepool followed by a tremendously successful run for Chester-le-Street Town Youths in the F.A. Youth Cup saw Jones catapulted back on to the professional scene with a host of trials for top clubs. Jones went full circle in October 2004 when he was signed professional, by of all clubs, Hartlepool United. On joining Chester-le-Street Jones said, “I knew of the club and it's reputation. It was a good stepping stone ". Jones was at the club for 14 months and added, “I kept myself motivated knowing I was playing some of my best football of my life at Chester-le-Street in a strong team, and the whole experience helped me believe in myself. Every time I was selected for a trial I thought I stood a good chance. I was obviously very excited to go to Sunderland with it being my home town club and I knew that their interest was long standing and wasn’t something that came out of the blue. Also, going to Manchester City because it happened early in my youth cup experience and it came out of the blue. I also thought I stood a good chance as I was playing well for Chester-le-Street". Jones enjoyed his time with Chester-le-Street. He says, "the bonding of the team and the spirit within the club. When we played football we worked for each other and I developed sides to my game which I didn’t have before but which are very important". And was he sad to leave? Jones says, "Yes and no. No because it gave me a chance to develop my career but yes because I enjoyed my time at Chester so much and was leaving things behind". In the Summer of 2007/08 Jones moved on from Hartlepool to York City. CHRIS BASHAM AND KRIS THACKRAY who played for Chester-le-Street Youths during season 2005/06 and 2004-06 joined Bolton Wanderers and Italian Serie A side Reginna respectively. Basham joined Chester-le-Street after a long spell with Newcastle United Academy. Known for singing his way through games for Chester-le-Street Town youths Basham joined Bolton in May 2006. Regional Bolton scout Kevin Rides, impressed with Basham’s performances, put him forward to Wanderers Recruitment Officer Geoff McDougle and after an impressive series of trial games, Bolton’s Academy Director Chris Sulley gave Basham the opportunity to move to Lancashire and join the Premiership outfit. Thackray on the other hand, has moved further a field by joining Italian Serie A side Reginna. Andrew Muxworthy says, “We did not directly influence Kris being picked up because he achieved it through England Colleges playing in Italy and that would not have happened if it was not for Paul Bryson at Gateshead College. However, because of the way we go about our business, I believe that being with Chester-le-Street was an important factor in helping Kris back to the level that he needed to be at personally to succeed. He captained our youth side for two seasons lifting eight trophies, he played first team football and impressed at senior level too”. TO TURN PRO YOU NEED ! Chester-le-Street Youth Team Manager Andrew Muxworthy has seen nearly 80 players from the club go to over 50 professional English clubson trial in recent seasons. He says, "Whilst the club dont fix up every trial our players get, we do fix about 60% of them. We actively try to get the lads fixed up with opportunities whenever we can. The Chester boss has tips for those good enough to go further. He says, "There is a thin line between those that are good enough and those that are not. I personally look at four assessment areas. Most players that make pro standard have all four qualities, whereas the very best of those that don’t make it maybe have three of the four qualities - hence the thin line of not quite good enough. If a player wants to be good enough then I believe if he works towards the four areas of play, then that will give him his best chance". So what are the four areas to look out for? Andrew says, "The most important first attribute is good technical ability. This will get the scouts interested. Pro clubs always look for players with better touches and those that have technical competence. Players should always play to their strengths and not close their mind on the best position for them. If a player constantly works to improve technique he will always stand a better chance." "Secondly, reading and understanding the flow of the game is important. Pro clubs will not focus too heavily on that when scouting younger players, but by the time you are 13 you have to have good awareness, peripheral vision (like a periscope from a submarine - the abilty to know what is going on all sides around you so that you can contribute your best to the teams overall performance. Notice particularly that we are talking about contributing your best to the teams overall performance - a player who has high technical ability will not get picked up if he doesnt make the right decisions to bring his team mates into play or make the right movements off the ball. I have seen many a gifted individual who cannot play with a team. Great skills, great goals, great dribbles, but sadly just not good enough in other departments to stand a chance!" Thirdly, the players attitude is critical. If you are level headed, take constructive criticism, work hard, train hard, eat right, and look after your body and keep out of trouble then that is the right move forward. It is about being prepared to make sacrifices and you will hear the word "sacrifice" constantly referred to when you listen to players who have come through under the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson for example. The way you conduct yourself has to be disciplined, what clubs are looking for, or, you will not stand a chance. Often when clubs talk about a player a frequently asked question is what is the players’ home life like? Does he go out? Drink alcohol always? etc.. All clubs prompt this information before taking decisions on signing players. The attitude of the player who wants to make it has to be a winning attitude and has to accept that sacrifices have to be made. If a player is 10 or 11 when he starts an Academy then the club will influence the players’ attitude and get the player conditioned to the way the club wants them. If, as in the case of most of our junior players, the player is 15,16,17 or 18 and has not had the benefit of conditioning, then the player's attitude has to be totally focussed. My personal viewpoint is that this point, point number three, is the one by which most players blow their chances of making it." "Finally, what is increasingly most important in the modern game is speed! The ability of the individual to play the game at a very high tempo, maintain sharpness and fitness levels. It is well known that with the right conditioning and training, a player can increase his speed by up to 15%. If at 15% quicker you are still not up to speed, then your chances are very slim indeed. I would add that when we talk about speed we are talking about speed of thought as much as speed of action." Finally, Andrew adds: "I often ask questions about players I think should have made it but dont. In 99 cases out of 100 you can isolate one of the four ingredients above as missing! That is the reason some of the most talented non-league players will stay just that! They might be better than Beckham on 1 of the 4, but you need all four to come close to him professionally".