BEN SMITH: PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLER. Recognise the name? Of course you don t. That s because most of Smith s years in the game were spent outside the vaunted, big-money environs of the Premier League and this sporting memoir is all the more entertaining as a result. 1995: an adolescent Ben arrives at the training ground of one of England s biggest clubs to begin his journey and realise his dream of playing top-flight professional football. Aged just sixteen, he shares pre-season sessions at Arsenal with the likes of Dennis Bergkamp and Ian Wright. Surely this is the start of a stellar career? Instead, the next seventeen years saw the bright young star descend the ranks from Highbury to obscurity. With seasons playing for the likes of Reading, Yeovil, Southend, Hereford, Shrewsbury and Weymouth and a career including three promotions, one relegation and some very memorable FA Cup games Ben s story is one of a quintessential journeyman footballer.
Candidly describing the negotiations, insecurities, injuries, relocations, personal implications and wet Saturday afternoons playing in front of 500 people, Journeyman offers a unique insight into the unvarnished life of a lower-league player so far removed from the stories of pampered Premiership stars as well as documenting the many teammates, opponents, managers and coaches who left an indelible mark on Ben s eclectic career.
- ISBN10 1849549265
- ISBN13 9781849549264
- Publish Date 1 January 2015
- Publish Status Active
- Out of Print 19 May 2015
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint Biteback Publishing
- Format eBook
- Pages 493
- Language English