Football: Young duo set sights on earning professional deals (From Gazette Series)

Kane Mannings on trial at Stoke City as Callum Brown signs for Cheltenham Town

9:10am Thursday 15th April 2010 in Sport

TWO Winterbourne International Academy pupils are a step closer to realising their dreams and becoming professional footballers.

Goalkeeper Kane Mannings is currently on trial at Stoke City and is set to find out in the next few days whether he will be offered a contract by the Premier League club, while defender Callum Brown has been signed by League Two side Cheltenham Town on a two-year scholarship deal.

Mannings, who lives in Hambrook, has been training with the Potters for the last six weeks and even got the chance to take shots off former England international striker James Beattie.

The 16-year-old has enjoyed his experience and has been made to feel welcome by the club’s star players.

He said: “We train in the morning and have lunch with the first team and last week I was sat between Ricardo Fuller and Rory Delap. Rory Delap was telling me how he throws the ball so far.

“Speaking to the first team, they all say, ‘if you need anything stay behind and we’ll help you,’ and that’s only on trial.”

Mannings only started playing in goal three years ago when his club side Boco were short in that position and he has progressed at a remarkable rate ever since.

He joined the Bristol City youth team before one of his former coaches, who rated him highly at Ashton Gate, offered him a chance at Stoke.

He said: “I got a phone call from Stoke and it’s going pretty well at the moment so fingers crossed.

“The facilities are brilliant. They’re having a brand new £7million foyer built with an indoor pitch, a gym and a swimming pool.

“It’s really nice, their pitches are unbelievable.”

Brown, also 16, is coached by former Portsmouth star Chris Burns at Cheltenham.

He will continue his education with the club over the next two years with the hope of earning a professional contract at the end of it.

Many scholars such as Theo Lewis, Jake Lee and Kyle Haynes, have gone on to get first team experience at Cheltenham over the past two years and Brown is hoping to follow in their footsteps and play in the Football League.

He said: “It would be a dream come true. I’ve always wanted to play football and since I got a chance, it’s not become a reality, but it’s in touching distance.”

Mannings and Brown were part of the Winterbourne International Academy Year 11 team that reached the semi-finals of national competition, the ESFA cup.

PE teacher, Mr Milton, said he noticed their talent at a young age.

He said: “Even in Year 7, they were star players in the team really. We’ve got good players in our team but they’ve always been head and shoulders above some of the other players in the team.

“We are quite a big school but we’ve done really well since Year 7.

“We’ve had a very good time over the last five years and a lot of success as well.”

Another Winterbourne International Academy pupil, Miles Hatfield, was recently released by Championship giants Cardiff City and is hoping to find a new club in the near future.