CALLUM Preston has spoken of the challenges facing young players dreaming of breaking into the world of professional football.

The 23 year old goalkeeper attended Welshpool High School and embarked on a career which involved spells at English Premier League giants Liverpool and English Football League sides Birmingham City and Crawley Town before joining English non league side Wrexham.

Preston is now with JD Welsh Premier side Aberystwyth Town where he hopes to fall back in love with the game while also starting a brand new chapter in his life with a sports journalism degree.

Preston urged all aspiring players to have a similar back up plan and spoke of his own experiences.

“My career has been a high adrenaline rollercoaster with ups and downs to match,” said Preston. “After starting as a 12 year old in the Liverpool academy it soon became obvious I faced an uphill battle to make it as a professional.

“It’s a dream of many a young lad but unfortunately many fall along the way.”

Preston agreed a scholarship with Birmingham City when he was 16 years old and moved out of home for the first time to train full time with the Midlands side.

There the Welshpool raised teenager rubbed shoulders with seasoned professionals like Ben Foster, Joe Hart, Stephen Carr, Barry Ferguson, Lee Bowyer, Alexander Hleb, Peter Lovenkrands, Ravel Morrison, Nathan Redmond and Demarai Gray.

“These players became more familiar to me for dishing out the banter,” said Preston. “I didn’t even complete my first full day as an apprentice before I had to endure walking back to my accommodation with my underwear smothered in deep heat, my socks being cut in half and my trainer laces no where to be seen.”

After proving himself with a rendition of ‘Sweet Caroline’ in front of the first team squad and management the teenager entered the pressure cooker of professional football.

Preston confessed the pressure led him to fall out of love with the game.

“It was no longer a kick about with your mates and led to the enjoyment being kicked out of the game. I didn’t see football as a game and instead it became a job in a cut throat industry.”

Preston’s former team-mate Demarai Gray, a Premier League title winner with Leicester City is the only member of the Preston’s former youth team still in the professional game.

Preston moved to Crawley Town after the Midlands club decided against renewing his contract.

Preston made his English Football League debut while also experiencing the unseen side of life as professional football player.

“Most people see the glamorous side of the Premier League but don’t see the lives of lower league players, living out of budget hotels and even a caravan before I signed for the football club. I considered it all part of the learning experience.”

Preston joined English non league side Wrexham in 2017 and enjoyed his year at at “brilliant football club” while embracing the chance to settle back into home life.

“After witnessing the harsh realities of football it made me aware that I needed a plan B,” said Preston. “In my case I chose education to fall back on.

“This led to me to study a distance learning degree in Sports Journalism, which is funded by the Professional Footballers Association.

“The degree that has given me another option rather than relying solely on football. I can’t stress this type of plan enough to any up and coming footballer. “