"We dream of playing in the shirt, today God picked you, play like we dream"

[Clayton]

Part I - Fleetwood Town

"We dream of playing in the shirt, today God picked you, play like we dream"
I saw that written across a huge flag a few times when I was growing up when me and my Dad went to see Man City play. It stuck with me forever. Growing up I didn't really take football (playing it that is) too seriously, I never imagined I'd play any form of professional football, but I knew if I ever had the chance that banner, those words, would be my own motto. It was clear any fan of any club felt the same, so no matter where I go that would apply, and I would put the effort in they expect.

I was born in small city of Lancaster, at the age of 15 I joined Lancaster's youth setup, all be it not a very good one, Lancaster had massive financial problems. I played in there under 18s team and in my year for them I played 19 games and scored 12 goals,a record which didn't go unnoticed. In June 2008 just after my 16th birthday the manager rang me up and informed me that Fleetwood Town were interested in me, he knew it was an offer too good to turn down for any player, and he wanted the best for me, so gave them permission to talk to me.

I made the trip to the club wit hmy father, it took almost an hour, at the time maybe the longest hour of my life. I was told a little history on the club, some I already knew, I knew that a Man City legend Frank Swift started his career at Fleetwood Town. I was the shown around the club, and had a little trial with the coach. I was offered a trainee contract which gave me £95. Not much but a start, and I was told if I proved myself I could easily be offered a professional one in the near future.

I decided to move in with my grandparents who lived about half an hour away from the hround, and my grandfather offered to drive me to training, and home matches, to help me out.

It was quite an exciting time for Fleetwood Town, this was there first season in the Conference North, but it wouldn't be an easier one, it was expected they'd be invloved in a relegation battle, so I knew if I had the chance to play this season, I would have to play to my best and take my chances.

After a disapointing first game of the season in which we lost 1-0 away to rivals Southport, I was picked to start the second game on august 9th at home to Tamworth. I found it hard to be blunt, I wasn't used to the physical side to there game, I was 16, playing with grown men. So it was never going to be easier to be fair. I was battered and brusied. I struggled to break through the defense, and most times I found as soon as I recieved the ball some big defender would come flying into me, it felt like they were trying to break my legs. We went 1-0 after 32 mins. It stayed like this till half time, the boss said to me as long as I tried my best, he didn't mind, he told me to keep my chin up and not give up. I wiped the mud off my face and walked back out onto the pitch. On 49 mins I recieved a through pass from the midfield, I knocked it onto my right foot and began sprtinging forwards, I just missed a tackle from a defender and I heard another running behind me, I was coming the the edge of the area, I knew I couldn't get much further without him catching me, so I took a shot, I hit it hard and low to the right of the goal and it flew passed the keeper.
GOAL!!
I was smothered with players, and the crowd went wild. The attendence may only have been 900 and something, but it was the most I'd ever played in front of, and if I could please them, that would do for me.
I struggled to get through the defence after that, my only other shots of the game came when I was being mobbed my defenders, one shot was blocked, and another I managed to squeeze through went stright to the keeper. After failing the break down the defense we paid the price, and they pulled a goal back in the final moments. It was hard to take, knowning my goal meant nothing in the end, other than a point, I'd rather have 3. BUt I knew it was likely to be that sort of season, other teams are expecting to come to us and win, with us being the new boys in the division....

[Clayton]

Part II -

We went on the draw our next 4 games, I found it hard as a 16 year old to compete, but the boss had faith on me, and kept giving me games. He saw it as one of the best ways to improve, and I agreed. But it was hard, I was being battered and bruised every Saturday, and also trying to keep up with my A-Levels because I wasn’t arrogant and I knew that it would be hard to make a career of football, and anything could go wrong. But I was wanting it, craving it. I had my little taste at Fleetwood and couldn’t get enough, I loved playing the game, I loved watching it, I loved the training with the guys. There was nothing to dislike, it was a great job. In mid September my dream of football being my career was on the move, I was offered a professional contract…

Signed: 28th August 2008
Expires: 28th August 2008
Weekly wage: £250
Goal Bonus: 25
Assist Bonus: 14

In many ways I was already in a dream world, earning 13,000 a year, just to play football. Then it hit me, I could earn that in a week if I put the effort in, who would say no to that. I knew myself I’d never demand more money, as footballers were over paid, and everyone knew, but you could never turn it down, could you? That would be stupid, if someone says fancy 50K a week, I don’t think anyone would say know, and on top of that it is to do something I love. Admittedly training could get hard and drain you a bit, but all jobs has it’s downsides, but come Saturday (or whatever other silly day because of tv or some other bu*****t) I always got that same excited feeling, that same rush, and buzz.

Through the end of September and early October we went on a bit of a downer, losing three, drawing, then losing another, the pressure was beginning to get on our backs, but we were still sitting in 17th respectably. But no matter what anyone says, about footballers not caring, where every you go losing hurts. Training after that 4-0 defeat to Droylsden for example was the worst. I wasn’t involved with that game, but it was horrid to watch, and training the fallowing week was so lifeless, know one really knew what to say, you just wanted to forget about it, but part of you always though, I should have done more, maybe I’m not cut out for it? Or whatever other doubts it may be.

November - finally our luck changed. 1st of November we played Burscough, away from home, they were sitting second from bottom, and struggling to find points. We had just fought hard for two well earned draws in the games coming up to this. But we were still 13 games without a win, 13, unlucky for some? Not for us, it took 13 games for our luck to start to change. For me I had now gone 10 games without a goal, it was hard to take. In the match before I had hit the post twice and bar once. There was a picture of me in that paper from that game, I still have it today. I am on my knees, the rain pouring down, mud on my face, my shirt in my mouth and my fists clenched. It is a rather dramatic picture, I believe Fleetwood sell it in there shop still today. It summed up my frustrations to be honest. But they were relieved the fallowing game. With not only a goal, or a brace, but a HAT-TRICK! I still remember it to this day, and it was also my first Man of the Match performance. My first goal came from around 25 yards out, I received a back pass, knocked it to my right foot and struck it to the bottom right side of the goal. The second came from a one on one early in the second half, but the third is one of my favourite goals. My goal of the season that year, and I think it was certainly one of the goals of the season for the club. I sprinted down the right flank with the ball and knocked it forward to Burton, we crossed over and the played it back to me, I squeezed past 3 defenders along the edge of the area, made a quick turn to face to goal and blasted it into the top right corner. I then drowned under the team. That finished the game off, we had won, AT LAST!!! We needed to get some more wins under our belt and keep out of that dreaded drop zone.
One thing the local paper spotted in the last 3 games were my two yellow cards. I wasn’t ladled with some form of aggression or anger management problem, I wasn’t Joey Barton. It was my determination and commitment, I dived in, determined to get a ball back, make up for a mistake, etc. I was praised for my heart-on-sleeve style of play, something fading from the game, something that was ‘great’ to see in a young player

[Clayton]

Despite form picking up in November we soon slipped to losing ways in December, and I lost patience with the team, the midfield were passing like they were blind and had no feet. Voicing this to the Non-League paper was a bad idea, it got me into a lot of trouble, I apologised, and handed in a transfer request that same day. Come early January I made a 2K move to Welling United. I Signed a £920 a week contact, which duration was two years. I also received a £96 goal bonus and £48 assist bonus.

Fleetwood Town stats:

17 apps (5 as sub)
4 goals

It was hard to adjust to the style of play first, I was a lone striker, and often found it hard to hold up the ball with no clear passes to make. I had to work on my pace so I could try and break the defence. I took a game out for a rest, and got to know the guys better. The next game we were away to Worcester and I finally felt comfortable, I grabbed my first goal early in the game and we won 1-0.
The next games was home to Team Bath, and a game extremely hard to forget, we won 4-2, going 2-0 down inside 20 mins I ran rings around the defence and scored all 4 goals. A stunning game.

We finished the season in a very respectable 6th place, which gave us a great platform to build on for next season. I ended the season with ten games for Willing United under my belt, in which I’d scored twelve goals and grabbed two hat-tricks. I was disappointed with how the season ended though, my grandfather was taking ill before our second to last game of the season, it was very sudden, and I missed training, I explained to the boss, but he didn’t seem to care for my excuse much. He was in a sour mood with me for the rest of the season and I missed our final two games.
Something funnier happened in training, at the end of a session he criticised my effort. I laughed in his face. I think my goals to games ratio tells you about my effort, and how about number of tackles? I walked off, and spend the night with my friends. I found myself transfer listed the fallowing day. My team mates didn’t understand, he just didn’t seem to like me, and I didn’t want to leave, I felt I could do a lot of Welling. To be honest I didn’t want to leave Fleetwood, but the team seemed to have no chemistry. I didn’t want to be known as someone who had no loyalty and changed clubs every other day!

[Shepherd]

Good Read.. Took bout 10min but was good :D

[zeste]

hi Clayton,

realy good story but what is the end of your career ???

I'm impatient to read it !

Zeste

[Clayton]

would be more but sadly the laptop died, lost my saves. :(

[Elroy619]

Don't worry, Clay, you can always get a new file, its sad to hear about your laptop though.

[Clayton]

Thanks for the sympathy :)
I'm well on my way with a new career, although I'm a tad rusty :redface: