So Josh was scouted by Aldershot! Talk us through what happened… 

Well he came to two UK Football Trials this year, one in April and one in July. He didn’t get any interest the first time but after the second one we got a call from UK Football Trials saying the club had requested the details then Aldershot got in touch and invited Josh down to train, so he went along to a couple of sessions with the u17’s.

And how was the training?

Yeah he loved it, the coaching was great and it was a great experience for him.

What was the decision?

Well the club were happy for him to stay on and keep training but unfortunately it was quite a long drive so the only way it would have worked would have been if he could have got a college or something close by, because he’s doing his A-Levels as well, but it was a bit too late to find something at that stage. He liked the club and the setup but it was just the wrong time.

Was this his first time at a club like this?

Yeah this was his first time doing anything at this level. He’s done Essex trials and things like that, and he plays for Chelmsford City youth at the moment, but he enjoyed the experience of playing at that level.

How’s he been doing with Chelmsford?

Last season he finished with 30-odd goals playing up front and has been the top scorer for the last couple of years, so he’s doing well at the minute.

And why do you think Josh hasn’t had his big ‘break’ yet?

I mean he does get the opportunity to play in front of scouts now and again. He’s playing at a decent level so he gets scouts at a few games, Championship teams and that kind of thing. But obviously he’s just not been quite right for them yet and he’s still in the shop window.

So he came to two UK Football Trial events, what changed that meant he got scouted the second time?

He did a lot of gym work, building himself up; he’s definitely stronger than he was. Some people develop at different rates but he’s a bit bigger now and I think that played a part – he goes jogging and has been working on fitness too. The feedback from the coaches on the first trial definitely helped as well, he listened to what they said and worked on it.

What are Josh’s main strengths?

His pace, definitely. He plays up front and he’s quick and he’s strong, getting behind the full-backs and getting on the end of things. He scores a decent amount of goals too; he knows where the goal is.

Would you have any advice for players coming to our trials?

We read the notes that you have us a lot, so use those and prepare well. And play your normal game, that’s all you can do.

And what’s his next step from here?

He’s still plugging away and we’ll see what happens. Something like Aldershot might appeal when he’s done his A-Levels. He just wants to keep his options open and get good qualifications, but hopefully they’ll be something in the pipeline for him.