Making it professional is the ultimate dream for so many young footballers across the globe.
The traditional and still the most acc way of doing just that was going down the academy route.
They are operated by professional football clubs, providing those lucky enough to be in them with a direct route to the first team, should they succeed.
Unfortunately for many, this never proves to be the case, as football academies are extremely competitive, with thousands usually competing for a few spots.
Roughly 0.012% of young players in England make it professional, making this dream feel like an impossible one at times for those looking to achieve it.
But resilience is key in this industry, which is why some have turned to alternative routes.
ProChance, a programme hosted at the University of Derby, is an example of a pathway that players may look towards to continue their development.
ProChance is a team of players looking to make it professional, who feature in competitive matches against academies across the nation.
Many in the set-up have experienced the disappointment of being released from an academy, such as goalkeeper Ollie Franklin.
Ollie was part of Burton Albion’s academy from ages 10-15. The club decided not to renew his contract after he suffered a broken collarbone.
He said: “Getting released from Burton, I sort of just fell out of love with the game for a bit.
“I think it is very easy to slip through the cracks.”
Since then, Ollie has featured for non-league side Heanor Town before being found by Sutcliffe and brought into the ProChance programme.
The goalkeeper highlighted just how valuable the programme is to him and other players who find themselves in a similar situation.
He said: “It’s very valuable.
“Obviously, you get a degree at the end of it, and most of the lads here want to play professional football.
“The FDA Course is quite good for whatever you want to do, whether it’s analysis or sports coaching, or management.”
One thing ProChance do to help showcase the abilities of the players and get them back on the radar of academies is feature in pro matches.
The club have recently hosted Burton Albion’s development squad and has announced further fixtures against academies such as Middlesbrough and Rotherham United.
These matches add particular value to the programme for the players as it provides them with opportunities to impress in front of professional academies.
He said: “I think it is very valuable, especially for ages between 16 and about 21, because of the under-21 standard as well.”
“It is very good exposure for anyone who has been released or playing at a high level or semi-professional.”
Liam Sutcliffe, manager of ProChance, has stated that programmes like this one provide players with the opportunity to display their ability.
Sutcliffe said: “With the amount of players released from academy systems each year, there is a huge gap in the market for players to continue their development and showcase their ability to move into the professional game.
“Programmes like ProChance bridge that gap.”
One of the vital tasks within the programme is to raise the confidence levels of players who may feel down on it following experiences with academies or non-league.
Sutcliffe highlighted accountability as an important characteristic for players who are looking to do just that.
He said: “We rebuild a player’s confidence through consistent, honest feedback, positive reinforcement on good habits, and providing a structured environment where they feel supported to take risks and learn from mistakes.
“Accountability from the player is hugely important and forms part of the foundation for development.”
But ProChance looks to do far more than just put players on the road to professional football, as a focus is also put on off-the-pitch development.
The programme calls for players with desirable characteristics and looks to build on them further, also allowing players to earn a degree in the process.
Sutcliffe is a big believer that the character of a player is crucial for an environment like this one and wants players who are fully invested.
He said: “Character dictates work ethic, how they interact with teammates and staff, and their overall coachability.
“We need players who buy into the environment.”
For many, it is very easy to get lost in the relentless pursuit of professional football, as many feel it is over upon release.
However, Liam Sutcliffe assured that a player’s journey is far from over upon release and called on those who suffer this fate to use the experience as fuel.
Sutcliffe said: “It is never over.
“Release is just redirection.
“Use the setback as fuel.
“Every day is an opportunity to work harder than the next person. Stay focused and keep proving people wrong.
“Opportunity comes in multiple forms and success isn’t solely on the pitch.”
Programmes like ProChance show that things are changing in the routes to football and continue to inspire players to chase their dream.
