As one of our best-loved footballers, David Beckham rose to the heights of football stardom from a football field in Chingford. Showing early talent, he worked on his game and won the Bobby Charlton national Soccer Skills competition. By 17, he had left home and was signed up with Manchester United. The rest, as they say, is history, and Beckham is now worth an estimated £190 million.

Like Beckham, there are today many youngsters who show considerable promise as the professional footballers of tomorrow, playing in sports clubs and playing fields across the country. Being recognised for your talent is the first step to a career in football, and football trials are one way of being spotted. Read on for all you need to know about football trials, and how they work.

What are Football Trials?

Playing with a club or team is a great way to hone your football skills, but if you’re good, then you need to be noticed by the people who matter. Taking part in a football trial means that you will be watched, encouraged and assessed by top qualified players, scouts and former pro players. If you are selected as having the skills and talent necessary to go further with football, then they will use their contacts to organise a trial with a semi-professional or professional football club. Players taking part in football trials are normally aged between 11 – 25, as the whole idea is to spot and develop young talent. If you have what it takes, then a football trial is the first step to a possible career as a professional footballer.

How do Football Trials Work?

Football trials are held all over the UK, so there will be a trial in your area somewhere. When you sign up for a professional football trial, you will need to register when you arrive at the trial. A typical trial will involve warm up’s, before being split into teams and coached. Then you will play an assessment match, and be given the chance to showcase your talents. After that, you’ll be given feedback, and if you have impressed the watching professionals, will be put forward for a trial with a nearby club. You will also receive on-going support should you be signed, and allotted a trusted agent to handle your contract.

Football Camps

A good football trials organisation may also organise intensive coaching and trial camps, where young players receive top quality coaching from high qualified coaches and pro-players, at the same time as being assessed for talent by scouts. You will be able to train like a professional and develop your skills, in the knowledge that if you impress, you may also be signed up.

Finally, it’s worth remembering that football is supremely competitive, so there is no guarantee that you will go forward for a trial with a professional club. So always beware of any football trial organisation who guarantees to put you forward. A reputable football trials group will make no such claims, and stress that it really is down to individual talent.

Featured images:

•  License: Creative Commons image source
•  License: Creative Commons image source

Rob Rudd enjoys writing on a wide range of topics from sports and fitness through to business and finance.

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