Page 5 | My 10 year old nephew has a under 10’s contract for football academy- how important is this?

YIP · 2024-12-12T06:57:10+00:00

As Above and my DB is over then moon as am I. DN works and trains really hard abd I hope this is the start of something big for him. It’s not exactly a top club, it’s division 2, but it seems like they take a lot if you gets on and they don’t all make it. I’ve known of a few kids who have been realised but they were a lot older, say 16/17/18. I’m clueless about football but am I right to think this is big news for DN being so young, should I assume he must be really good to get signed to the academy? I’m so proud of him and hope he gets to do his dream job as an adult but I’m thinking statistically the competition is so high. DB has got him signed off for a premier league club and I’m thinking if this doesn’t pan out there will be so many tears. Any experience?

Shinyandnew1 · 12/12/2024 22:44

poor lad failed all his exams, and he just stayed home all the time, as he didn’t care all he had wanted to do was play football and being told he wasn’t good enough destroyed him at 16.

Sadly that’s pretty much the experience of the lad I knew as well :(

Resilienceisimportant · 12/12/2024 22:47

boulevardofbrokendreamss · 12/12/2024 08:36

There was a really good Netflix series I think it was Netflix, may have been Chanel 4) following the Crystal Palace academy kids. It is brutal.

And accurate. A lot of those boys aren’t there now and have been released or moved on. We have played Palace and I worry about the extra expectation of these boys as other kids ‘know them’ and the expectations are enormous.

Resilienceisimportant · 12/12/2024 22:52

Drfosters · 12/12/2024 13:18

Well not necessarily. The academies are picking on ability not necessarily work ethic. If someone is born with a natural talent they will always be picked over someone who isn’t quite a good but trains 10 hours more a week. That is why the whole thing is so brutal. Hard work is only a part of it.

the fact is just playing at school football or Sunday league will have the same result.

I personally believe (after many years on the sidelines) that 99% of academy players are exactly the same standard as very good non academy players. You can’t tell the difference if you played them against each other. You can always spot the extraordinary player though who is a level above the others. They stand out a mile. Still doesn’t mean they make it to the big leagues.

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Really? I would actually say the opposite. Academy kids at the highest level do stand out. The kids who are playing grassroots will stand out and hopefully be scouted.

There is a significant step up from JPL for example to academy. You can see the boys that get a trial and are very good footballers but just don’t have what is required for an academy.

Resilienceisimportant · 12/12/2024 22:59

Thewrongdoor · 12/12/2024 09:49

I thought this was going to be about the fact that he has an under-10s contract when he is already 10. Has that been queried?

No that’s right. You play under 10’a in the year you turn 10. Depends when your birthday is in that season.

Resilienceisimportant · 12/12/2024 23:16

ElaborateCushion · 12/12/2024 10:18

My DB absolutely loves football and was delighted that one of his kids enjoys it too. He did not, however, want his kid playing on a team because of the disappointment that not being selected, or being dropped, can cause.

My nephew, however, is totally football mad and plays for a local team. He's not been picked yet for an academy but his coaches are heading that way.

DB is very conflicted over it as it's clear DN is good and loves it, but he never wanted it for his son, despite being a massive football fan himself.

DN's been playing for about a year now and DB is coming round to the idea that it's part of his life now, but it took him a long time to actually go to a match.

Realistically, it's very unlikely that many academy players will progress to the top of the sport. There are 22 teams in the PL, and (having only looked at Arsenal), teams have around 22 first team players, so 484 players across the PL. Out of that 22 players in Arsenal, only 5 are British.

Ultimately it's great OP's nephew has been signed, but they need to be kept grounded to the reality of his prospects and ensure his other studies don't suffer as a result.

Umm it’s actually only 20 teams in the Premier League.

You don’t get picked for an academy. You have to be scouted and then Invited for a trial. His coaches can’t make that happen and saying they are ‘heading that way’ can only be that they are preparing him for trials should he be scouted.

There have been many many kids who have trialled at my son’s academy (category 1) and only one made it. It is very very rare and it’s not about just being good it progression through the trail.

Scouts almost never go to regular grassroots games. I don’t know any kid that got scouted that way. JPL kids do get scouted or possibly at tournaments if you are lucky. Not sure if maybe you aren’t close to it or unfortunately have the wrong impression?

caringcarer · 12/12/2024 23:22

PerkyRobin · 12/12/2024 07:12

Well, if he’s been scouted by a club he’s got more chance of being a footballer than lots of others.
When I was growing up I knew 2 boys who were part of the Birmingham City Academy - one went on to play for the senior team for a season or two then stopped getting picked, he can always say he was a professional footballer but he didn’t have a stellar career.
The other was my brothers best friend, he was scouted in junior school then dropped just before they sat GCSEs - poor lad failed all his exams, and he just stayed home all the time,as he didn’t care all he had wanted to do was play football and being told he wasn’t good enough destroyed him at 16.
So what I’m saying is it can go either way, make sure he knows there is more to him than football but also someone has to be the next superstar.

About 6 years ago I taught 2 brothers in a Birmingham school who had contracts with Birmingham City. At 16 one got dropped but his 15 year old brother was kept. 16 year old got depressed and although he'd passed his GCSE's he didn't do well at A level after being dropped. He also wanted to stay in bed all day and not come into Sixth Form. Another student was taken on as a professional footballer and after a couple of seasons went to Us to play. I think he still plays there.

MayaPinion · 12/12/2024 23:25

A PP raised a really useful point earlier. Although most will never play professionally, explore other opportunities. A friend’s son who came through a well known football academy also focused on his studies and got a soccer scholarship to an Ivy League University in the states, so all his degree and living expenses are paid for while he gets to study at a great college and play varsity matches.

CooksDryMeasure · 13/12/2024 08:47

@Resilienceisimportant just interested as you seem to know your way around the system, is JPL genuinely a bit of a cut above? My DS plays for a ‘regional talent centre’ in JPL but I can never quite decide whether I’ve just been sucked into an ‘elite academy’ type pipe dream that I see so many of!

more generally I think it’s really easy to look back at 16-18 when the kid is spat out & say parents should have done it differently but it’s something that happens gradually isn’t it? We started off playing Sat morning drop in sessions. Now my DS trains 2 a week for his RTC, plays games most Sat in an inconvenient location. His best friends from school play & he really loves football. At the moment the balance is just okay & he still does other activities. one or two of his team mates have gone on to the professional academy, that’s a step up in inconvenience, but I can see how you’d easily think ‘we will give it a go…’ etc.

Resilienceisimportant · 13/12/2024 10:32

CooksDryMeasure · 13/12/2024 08:47

@Resilienceisimportant just interested as you seem to know your way around the system, is JPL genuinely a bit of a cut above? My DS plays for a ‘regional talent centre’ in JPL but I can never quite decide whether I’ve just been sucked into an ‘elite academy’ type pipe dream that I see so many of!

more generally I think it’s really easy to look back at 16-18 when the kid is spat out & say parents should have done it differently but it’s something that happens gradually isn’t it? We started off playing Sat morning drop in sessions. Now my DS trains 2 a week for his RTC, plays games most Sat in an inconvenient location. His best friends from school play & he really loves football. At the moment the balance is just okay & he still does other activities. one or two of his team mates have gone on to the professional academy, that’s a step up in inconvenience, but I can see how you’d easily think ‘we will give it a go…’ etc.

Hello! Yeah it depends on where you are. JPL tends to be better but there are tiers in that too. My son has played through it all - grassroots, JPL, academy. I don’t really know about a regional talent centre. Is that JPL or club affiliated? The JPL are trying to expand so it could be a good opportunity for those who want to stay at their club but just get more training. I don’t think this existed when my son was played for a JPL team.

I would say that trials are intense so my best advise if you want to aim that way is that he plays and trains as much as possibles. I’m not saying it’s for everyone, but my son trained three times a week and played both Saturday and Sunday. He played the full games both days on the weekend and was tired but fine but now plays academy games one day a weekend and is wrecked for two days afterward as he is so tired as it’s intense. But he was match fit and ready for trials.

Scouts would come to JPL games, but then we did have four boys get scouted and accepted for category 1 academies so it sparked some interest.

Ask the talent centre about scouting, opportunities and showcase games. For example, Southampton will have two regional teams play each other (JPL) and all their coaches woukd go - like 10 people. I know other clubs do this too. Scouts also went to nationals as it’s easier for them to move between games.

Funnily enough my son plays less than he did as they have recovery days and light training depending on injury risk (they wear GPS bib things) so it’s technical and they are clued up on risk.

Good luck to your son! Enjoy the ride and just support him playing and having fun. We have no expectations but there is nothing better than seeing your kid do what they love. I would do it all again if I had to. Yeah he probably won’t make it but what an awesome experience.

Original poster

YIP · 13/12/2024 11:10

Thanks for the insightful input all. My DC don’t play football but I’m aware of the dedication through other family members and friends.

There is a lot of great advice on here and confirms my concerns. I would never say anything but congratulating his DS and the other kids on his public FB account (that the kids don’t see) so everyone can see and tagging the football team and other people makes me cringe because it sounds like the reality is the vast majority don’t get professional contracts.

I understand he’s proud, but I’d hate other kids to be saying oh you’re not as good as you think bla bla. Just let him enjoy it without expectations are my thoughts.

OP posts:

Isitorisitnot12 · 08/04/2025 09:50

Anyone able to advise on the process for a goalkeeper? and what to look out for? goalkeeper son was invited to some trainings and some matches afterwards but he is being put outfield during matches so they really don’t get a good chance to see what he can do (apart from goalie training)
is this norm for goalies?

Silverbirchleaf · 03/04/2026 08:32

A work colleague son went to a good academy to study at six form - football and business studies. It was lower league, but considered a good course. However, when the club started using loans rather their own academy to fill places, he got disillusioned and quit. Football had been his whole life up to then, and he was considered a promising player.

Enjoy the journey but be aware that it can be ruthless.

My 10 year old nephew has a under 10’s contract for football academy- how important is this?

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