Chapter 26: Change a Pair of Shoes
"Come on, Adam!! You can do it!!" "I know!!! Alan, Mr. Charles said I can definitely do it!! I'll become a star earning thousands of pounds a week!! By then, the pair of trainers you like will only be my wages for a day!!" "Can I have another tracksuit?" "Certainly!!!"
Beside the training ground at Luton's youth academy, two Black brothers—one older, one younger—stood with arms crossed, talking loudly as if no one else existed. Their curly hair caught the sunlight, and their excited voices carried across the pitch.
Laughter rippled through the watching youngsters.
The brothers looked alike. The older one, Adam, wore a red training vest that hung loosely on his skinny frame and a pair of oversized sports shorts that reached well past his knees, making him look comically small, like a child playing dress-up in adult clothes.
"What are they here for?" Joshua Smith asked, turning to the head of youth development.
Steve Powell seemed unsure himself and waved over one of the youth coaches.
"They're here for a trial, boss!"
"A trial?"
"Yes, recommended by Mr. Charles, one of our part-time scouts."
Steve's face lit up with understanding. "Mr. Charles is a PE teacher at a local secondary school in Luton. We have a scouting agreement with him. If we sign any players he recommends, he gets a fee—usually between a hundred and a thousand pounds."
Joshua nodded. Part-time scouts like that were common across English football, especially at lower-league clubs hunting for hidden gems.
He was genuinely interested in how talent identification worked at this level. With the first team on a day off, this was the perfect chance to observe. His presence, however, had electrified the academy players. They played with frantic energy, each boy desperate to impress the Jamaican manager who had just masterminded an 8-0 thrashing of Port Vale.
As a result, the internal match had devolved into a series of individual exhibitions. Forwards hogged the ball, trying flashy moves instead of linking up.
Joshua shook his head slightly. Football was a team game. He turned to the youth coach. "When do the trialists usually get their chance?"
"Normally second half, sir."
"This match has lost its meaning now," Joshua said, gesturing toward the pitch.
Steve Powell nodded in agreement. The boys were showing off rather than playing properly.
"Put the trialist in now."
With the head coach's word, no one objected. Moments later, young Adam White was pulled aside and prepared to enter the fray.
A circle of academy players gathered nearby, smirking. Adam didn't look like a footballer at all short, wiry, and built more like the kids from the local estates than the muscular prospects usually seen at academies. Even the youth coach standing beside Joshua seemed skeptical.
"What do you think of him, Tom?" Joshua asked.
Tom Carradock eyed the thin trialist. "Too skinny and too short, boss."
Joshua remained neutral. The lad was indeed slight, no more than about 160 cm tall, and looked fragile against the more developed academy boys.
"How old is he? Current height?"
"Born in 1991, seventeen years old, 160 cm," Tom replied, checking the data sheet.
Joshua glanced at the name: Adam White. Listed as a winger.
"He hasn't had any formal football training," Tom added. "Starting at sixteen or seventeen without proper coaching makes it tough. If not for Mr. Charles' recommendation, he wouldn't even get this trial. Honestly, I think it's a waste of time."
Joshua simply nodded. The path from youth academy to professional football was brutally competitive, especially at a League Two club like Luton. Not every boy would make it.
Adam White entered the game on the wing. During a stoppage, Tom gathered his players and reminded them to play as a team. When the match resumed, the standard improved noticeably: fewer selfish runs and better passing.
Adam's first touch came quickly. A diagonal ball flew in from deep, moving fast. Adam lifted his instep and cushioned it perfectly to his feet.
Joshua's eyes sharpened. Good feet.
But the moment didn't last. Facing an oncoming defender, Adam tried a quick feint, lost his balance, and tumbled to the ground.
Laughter erupted from the sidelines. Adam scrambled up, embarrassed, only to stumble again after a few steps.
Tom shook his head. Poor balance.
The rest of Adam's performance was rough. He lost most physical duels, his slight frame easily pushed off the ball. Though his touch was decent at times, he lacked the burst of pace to escape markers. By the end of the first half, he trudged to the sideline with his head down.
It looked like the trial was over. Tom closed his notebook with a sigh.
The two brothers on the sideline began quietly packing their things, defeat written across their faces.
Joshua felt a pang of sympathy. That first touch had shown real promise, yet the boy looked clumsy overall. Strange good ball control usually paired with decent coordination.
"Show me his profile again," Joshua said.
Tom handed over the sheet, surprised.
Adam White
Advantages: Good speed, natural technique.
Disadvantages: Street football background, poor positional discipline.
Just a few lines. Good speed? Joshua hadn't seen much evidence during the trial. He watched Adam sling a worn khaki backpack over his shoulder. The boy was short but had unusually large, broad feet.
"Wait a minute!!" Joshua called out suddenly.
Adam froze.
"Your trial isn't over yet," Joshua said, his voice carrying across the grass. He turned to the coach. "Tom, change a pair of shoes for him!"
(End of Chapter 26)