I have just turned 16 — a super important age in the world of football development. Some players make their professional debut at this age, while others begin to feel their efforts may be futile and quietly step away from the game.
As for me, turning 16 has opened the door to a new world: semi-professional football.
The prospect of playing men’s football in front of paying crowds excites me. Not to mention earning money while doing so. It may only be pocket money compared to a real job, but for a 16-year-old still living comfortably under his parents’ roof, £50 a week feels like luxury — and definitely enough for bragging rights among my mates.
Recently, as mentioned in my previous articles, I began training with Congleton Town FC Reserves — the second team to Congleton Town’s senior semi-professional side. Being within touching distance of a level that only a small percentage of grassroots footballers ever reach already feels like an achievement in itself.
Congleton Town was founded in 1901 and currently plays in the Northern Premier League Division One West. In the complex architecture of English football, this sits at Step 4 of the National League System, which is equivalent to Level 8 of the overall pyramid. While Level 8 may sound distant from the Premier League’s Level 1, in the non-league world Step 4 is a significant threshold — the point where regional football begins to transition into the national conversation. Known as “The Bears,” the club plays at the Cleric Stadium, a modest 1,500-capacity ground that serves as the frontline for this step up in intensity.
Over the last couple of months leading up to my 16th birthday, I have been training with the reserve team as the youngest player in the squad — lining up alongside players just a year older than me and others nearly twice my age.
The difference between youth football and men’s football is immediately noticeable. The game is quicker in decision-making but also more physical in every duel. In youth matches, you might get an extra second on the ball. At this level, that second disappears very quickly. If you hesitate, someone is already stepping across you or letting you know they’re there.
One thing that doesn’t get talked about enough is the “dark arts” of senior football. Older players know all the small tricks — the subtle nudge just before the ball arrives, the arm across your body, the quiet word in your ear when the referee isn’t looking. None of it is usually enough to be called a foul, but it is enough to disrupt your rhythm if you’re not ready for it. It’s part of the education of stepping into the men’s game, and something I’m learning to deal with quickly.
Another thing I’ve started to notice is the experience gap. Some of the older players don’t necessarily run the most, but they understand positioning, timing, and the small details that make the game easier. It’s a different kind of football education — one that you can only really learn by being on the pitch with them.
Physically, I know this is still an area I must keep improving. Playing against grown men exposes where you need to get stronger, sharper, and more resilient in challenges. But this is exactly the type of environment I wanted. Comfort doesn’t create progress.
What excites me most is that this feels like a real step into the adult game. Six months ago, I was playing U15 school football. Now I’m regularly involved in a men’s reserve environment. The pathway ahead is still long, and nothing is guaranteed, but being in this setting has only increased my motivation to keep pushing.
For now, the focus is simple: keep learning, keep adapting, and take every opportunity that comes. Because in football, as I am quickly realising, progress doesn’t wait for anyone — you either grow into the level, or the level moves past you.
