9:19am Thursday 4th March 2010
WOTTON-UNDER-EDGE teenager Jamie Stephens has spoken of his delight after being given the opportunity to train with Premier League giants Liverpool.
The 16-year-old goalkeeper has only played a handful of games for Swindon's youth team this season, but was invited to the Reds' Kirkby-based Academy after impressing scouts and he has been training alongside some of the country's brightest young talents.
Former Katharine Lady Berkeley's School pupil Stephens travelled to Merseyside on Sunday, where he watched Liverpool beat Blackburn Rovers 2-1, and will remain at the club until tomorrow, although Swindon's chiefs were quick to stress that it is just a training exercise and there is no transfer in the pipeline.
The opportunity arose due to Swindon manager Danny Wilson's close friendship with Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish, who is now their Academy Ambassador, and Stephens was told about the approach at the start of last week.
He said: "(Centre of Excellence Director) Jeremy Newton told me and I was absolutely delighted. I like Liverpool as a club and it's a big step up.
"I told my mum, my dad and my brother then kept it quiet and eventually told my friends."
Stephens is a first year scholar in the Swindon youth team after joining the League One club as a 14-year-old and progressing through their Centre of Excellence.
He has played youth team football at Wotton, Kingswood and Wickwar and was at Forest Green, the club he supports, before signing a contract with Swindon.
Stephens, who says his goalkeeping hero growing up was Italy's Gianluigi Buffon, hopes to be offered a full-time professional contract once his scholarship runs out at the end of the 2010/2011 season and has ambitions to reach the top.
He said: "To get a professional contract is the main aim - it's what I've always wanted.
"I would like to get some reserve football by 17 and then hopefully go on to play in the first team at Swindon or hopefully a bigger club. That is why I'm so happy to be training with Liverpool."
Although part of the youth team, Stephens trains regularly with Swindon first team goalkeepers David Lucas and Phil Smith and is coached by former Arsenal and Everton stopper George Wood, who was capped four times by Scotland.
He said: "I've learned so much from the goalkeeper coach. He's an ex-Scotland international and he's taught me everything physically and mentally.
"I still look up to the keepers I train with on a daily basis, David Lucas and Phil Smith, because they are true professionals."
Stephens moved away from Wotton at just 15 and is currently staying at digs in Swindon with Newton but comes back regularly at weekends.
"I was a little bit nervous at first but I've been here for eight months now and I've settled in quite well," he said.
"I know lots of people and I'm playing football every day so I couldn't ask for more."
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