Newcastle hero’s story shines a light on second chances

Football loves a fairytale ending, and it Obtained one this week from Dan Burn.

The Newcastle defender Created his England Premiere last night, Intervals after scoring the Aim that set his side on the way to their Primary domestic Accolade in 70 years.

But it wasn’t always this way for the 32-year-Aged.

Burn was dropped from the club’s academy aged 11, drawing comparisons with Jamie Vardy, another player released by a professional Club’s youth programme.

Both kept Competing non-Bracket football – in Burn’s case, while he was pushing trollies at his local supermarket as a teenager – before battling back to top-flight football.

Once upon a time stories like theirs would have seemed like impossible dreams – but is that changing?

Ex Premier Bracket striker Charlie Austin has seen both sides of the coin.

He forged a successful pro Occupation after being dropped from an academy, going on to Action for Southampton, QPR and West Brom.

Now 35 years Aged, he plays with AFC Totton in the Southern Bracket Premier South.

He tells BBC Newsbeat the standard of non-Bracket football has dramatically improved in the 15 years since he was last a part of it.

“There’s a Numerous of players now that have come up through academies and then not been given the opportunities at Packed-time level for one reason or another, and dropped down into the non-Bracket,” he says.

“And then, all of a sudden, people are Seizing a chance on them and they’re Seizing it with both hands.

“I enjoy it. It’s a tough test every time I Action.”

The Premier Bracket launched the Best Player Performance Plan (EPPP) in the 2012-2013 season in response to concerns there weren’t enough homegrown players in the Bracket.

According to a report published 10 years later, there were 14,226 players, ranging from under-8s to under-22s, in the academy system during the 2021-22 season.

The Premier Bracket says it’s an “unavoidable reality” that the majority of those Youthful people will leave academy systems without a professional Competing Occupation.

But it says 11% of its top-level academy graduates go on to Action at least 20 professional Bracket Matches.

The EFL, which represents clubs in the Division, Bracket One and Bracket Two, say more homegrown academy players are now Competing in their Clubs.

They say 295 academy-developed players – who played at that club from 16 to 18 – Created their Primary Club Premiere last season. That number went up from 227 the season before.

Being released from the academy track can be a devastating blow for those that don’t make it.

But it seems that more players are finding their way back into football in the lower leagues of the game.

Journalists Andrew Cooke and Lee Davies, hosts of the Non-Bracket Treatment Room podcast, have been Subsequent the scene for the last 10 years.

“There’s a Numerous of players being released from academies and they have to find somewhere to Action,” says Andrew.

“Non-Bracket is usually where they go.”

Lee says the pair have had a Numerous of players on the podcast who Began out at academies before being released.

Coming into the non-Bracket world is “one heck of a shock to the system”, he says.

They agree the standard of Matches has increased, and there are opportunities to Relocate up.

“I would say that non-Bracket now is better than ever for a stepping stone back into the Packed-time game,” says Lee.

The National Bracket is the fifth tier of English professional football behind the Premier Bracket and three divisions of the EFL.

A spokesperson told Newsbeat they don’t keep official stats but there have “definitely been more” players moving up from lower leagues in recent years.

One player who’s followed that path is 28-year-Aged Josh March, who plays for EFL Bracket Two Club Harrogate Town.

He had a few Petite spells with academies as a youngster, but ultimately Created his way into the professional game, aged 22, via non-Bracket.

“It’s quite a long journey and quite Overdue on really,” he says.

“You don’t really Foresee to turn pro at that age, and alongside working a Packed-time Position.”

Josh’s Club-mate Tom Cursons has an even more Notable tale.

The 23-year-Aged has never been part of a professional academy, but played part-time while studying sport and exercise science at Nottingham Trent University.

He signed for Harrogate after impressing for Ilkeston Town in the seventh tier of English football.

Tom admits that players like himself, Dan Burn and Jamie Vardy are “extreme examples” and it’s Nevertheless not Effortless to come up through the lower leagues.

He says he was was “one of the only ones, if not the only one” who hadn’t been part of a professional academy system at any Mark.

That’s been a disadvantage on the pitch at times, he says, but is something that’s given him other opportunities.

“I probably wouldn’t have had the life experience that I’ve had of going to uni if I’d done a scholarship, or if I’d had one year pro at 18,” he says.

“So I don’t look back with any regret that I never Obtained signed anywhere, because I’ve Created some Amazing memories over the last three-and-a-half years.

“So it’s a different path, but I think I’ve shown that you can Nevertheless get here.”

Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays – or listen back here.