Arlo attended our Middlesex trial in February 2024. The advice and feedback given to Arlo from our specialist goalkeeper coach helped Arlo have the confidence and feel more relaxed in his showcase game the next day resulting in him being scouted by Southampton and Brighton & Hove Albion and being placed in their Pre-Academies. When we asked Arlo what his experience so far has been like he had this to say “All the coaches have been friendly and the environment for learning is amazing. It was a bit of an adjustment to start playing the academy style of football which is fast paced.”

Arlo attended our trials in the 8-10 age group, so he was one of the youngest in his group however, he didn’t let this phase him and he trained and played to the best of his ability.

We asked Arlo what he thought of our trial experience, and he replied with “I learnt a lot from the two trials I attended, August 2023 and February 2024. Both goalie coaches were great and helped me work on areas I needed to. The February trial, Charlie the goalie coach was really helping to encourage me to communicate more and really helping me with small details which make a big difference. The details he really helped with are things the scouts really like about my playing style.”

UK Football Trials provide a platform for aspiring footballers to demonstrate their abilities in front of professional scouts, and Arlo's success story exemplifies the potential rewards of participating in such events not just from a scouting perspective but from an experience point of view.

One of our final questions to Arlo was would he recommend our trials to anyone else, and his response was “Yes, I would recommend, not necessarily just to be scouted, but to learn how trials go, the pressure you put on yourself and the coaching. Overall, it will make you more ready for that one trial or game you are spotted.”

We extend our many congratulations to Arlo on his achievements so far and wish him all the best as he continues to pursue his footballing career.

Arlo Johnson – Trial Experience