Has anyone had a DC "scouted" by a football team??

[simpson]

DS (7) has been scouted by a football team and they want him to play for their academy in 6 months or so (they feel he is a bit young atm).

Has anyone got experience of this and what happens, pros/cons etc gratefully received

I've had a child signed to a premiership club. Even at U9 level it was intense and not just with games and training but also with physio assessments and fitness. We paid £40 and that included full training and match kit, tracksuits, fleeces, jumpers, socks, thin coats, thick coats, hats, the works. After a season my child decided that they didn't want to make the commitment so we went back to grassroots football with no regrets but if we had carried on the commitment would have been huge.

We have had friends whose son has been spotted by 3 major premiership clubs starting from attending a summer playscheme at the end of year 1. He's now in year 6 and currently shared between 2 premiership clubs which is interesting. His parents don't want him to become a pro and he's also very academic but they are going along with it for as long as he wants to but they know that he'll also have a good academic education to fall back on.

My son plays at a football academy and we have never had to shell out a single penny. He has a fantastic lifestyle travelling abroad and it has improved his confidence and social skills no end.

For those who say they no people playing non league football. You do know that's a job and they can get paid a good wage for doing what they love? And they can also do qualifications and coach too.

Some clubs pay for private schooling for the boys, even if they're dropped and of course they know to go into anything with their eyes open. Psychologists and physios are at every training session and match.

All of the above is in a good academy.

If my son ends up playing lower league football in a couple of years I will be more than happy for him.

The time commitment is not that big. In school holidays they go for the full day so it's like a free football camp

@bowlersarm and anyone else here who's had experience getting a child into football clubs and leagues, if you could guide me.
My son is turning 11, is a keen footballer & plays for a local club. Now I'm not under any illusions that he will get to be a professional footballer nor is he but we at least want to play competitions & be seen by someone who sees potential or vice versa. What is the process? What tournaments do kids have to play to be scouted or are their any particular clubs they need to join? FYI, we are based in London

The best thing to do is to get your son playing for a local grass roots team that is known for being of a standard good enough that scouts watch regularly. Also the good grassroots clubs go to the tournaments where the scouts Go.

It's still very young - it's cut throat, things change so much, so quickly. A great experience, though. David Beckham wasn't that great then, it was only when he was older. Some lower league clubs do charge to train at that level when they spot a child, the biggies don't. It's a huge commitment, we declined when it meant travelling hours twice a week, that was when my DS was a lot younger. He will play at a semi pro level, which he is so happy with.

For the pp asking about where to get spotted, don't push it, it will only set you up for disappointment. You could enroll on a big name workshop day, Man Utd etc have them during the summer, scouts will also be at any big summer tournos.

And yes, it also infuriates me when footballers are slated on here. They are such dedicated athletes, the ones you see on TV are absolutely the cream of the crop and have done spectacularly well to be where they are. It's bloody hard!

I definitely think they encourage children too young, my ds did t start until 10/11 and even then you need to wait until 14/15 to see how the child will grow and develop.

Not all boys think they will play premier league football, there are 1000s of normal people who play football for good salaries in the lower leagues, they're not all poor role models.

And yes, it also infuriates me when footballers are slated on here. They are such dedicated athletes, the ones you see on TV are absolutely the cream of the crop and have done spectacularly well to be where they are. It's bloody hard!

I agree!

Hi I know this is an old post but just found it. My son his nearly 7 his been approached 2 times now at different tournaments this summer by 2 different teams. I'm a bit stuck with what to do. Both of them want the 2 same boys in the team. I've heard stories about them really wanting 1 but bring there friend aswell but they don't really want the "friend". What do I do? I haven't told my son yet. Do I just leave it and if in say a years time their still wanting him then get the ball moving?

What are they offering? In our area a huge number of 6/7 year olds get invited to development centres linked to pro clubs but they dont all get invited back after a few weeks / months. I've never known them invite 'a friend' for the sake of it. Quite a few of our club children do extra sessions 1 or 2 nights a week with the dev centres but carry on in grassroots teams. Only post 8 do they get 'signed' and have to leave the club

I would give it a go. Treat it like free extra coaching and enjoy the ride. My son did a few dev centres but only really liked one of them so we just stuck to that one. He got signed to them as an U9 which was really exciting for him. He absolute loved it there, it was great coaching in top facilities. They gave him a huge bag full of club training kit and had a signing day where he met all the first team and was introduced to the crowd at a home game at half time. The following week they closed the academy down completely. It was devastating at the time, but much worse for the older boys who'd been there years. He's at a smaller team's academy now and is still loving it. We take it with a big pinch of salt and tell him to enjoy it while it lasts. He loves it and gets so much out of it. But what all parents should remember is it's extremely unlikely these boys will be professional footballers, and to the clubs they are essentially a commodity. If you remember this and let them enjoy the ride while it lasts it can be a fantastic experience for them. Good luck.