JORDAN PERRIN: MY STORY

Jordan Perrin was just nine years old when he signed for Arsenal and spent seven years at one of the best academies in the world. 15 years on from becoming a Gunner, he plays in the Southern Counties East Football League with an abundance of experience at all levels of the game. In my recent podcast on INMR, I interviewed Whitstable Town goalkeeper Jordan Perrin as he told us all about his academy days at Hale End with Arsenal, Signing a scholarship with Wigan before leaving the professional scene at just 19 years old, and the challenges he faced adapting to non-league football after 12 years in the elite environment. Jordan then explains what being a goalkeeper is like and the mental obstacles you must overcome. Finally, he passes on some advice to the next generation looking to make it, whilst reflecting on some advice he received from some of the best coaches in the country.

INMR: Let's go right back to the start of your journey, what is your first footballing memory?

Jordan: It was actually my primary school was doing a summer fair like a stall for penalty shootouts and my old man said to me "why don't you have a go". He didn't play football himself and no one in my family really did so he said "just give it a go see if you like it" so I had a couple of penalties. I don't remember if I missed them or scored them but from then on I joined a team called Wigmore Youth to do some training from about the age of four or five so really young. I started as a defender actually but only for a matter of a few weeks. I was always one of the tall ones so they said would you mind going in goal, we had no goalkeeper so I naturally just went in goal. I actually remember quite clearly it was a one-on-one and I came out and made a good block and ever since then I've been a goalkeeper.

INMR: Wow quite a young start then! From there how did your career progress to you signing for Arsenal just a few years later?

Jordan: From that moment it's kind of a real up uphill journey. I got some personal training as a goalkeeper and then I went on to having trials at Chelsea, Millwall, Charlton, and Arsenal. The offers were on the table Charlton and Arsenal, I've got a little bit of a story, I was signing for Charlton just after my ninth birthday and the night I came back my mum and dad said I had a missed call on the answer machine and they said that Arsenal would ask me to go and sign for them but I had already signed my contract at Charlton. My dad had a good chat with the Arsenal Academy manager and said just see what happens next season and a year later I went on and signed for Arsenal. I spent six or seven years at Arsenal until I was under 16. We had the conversation about getting a scholarship, I wasn't going to get a scholarship I was going to get an extended school boy if I wanted it but my options were I could go elsewhere and do scholarships around the country. I think at the time it was my time to move on, I had a fantastic youth career at Arsenal, went to some amazing places, played against some amazing players but at that stage in my career I wanted to leave home and try and venture for myself.

INMR: It sounds like a great experience with lots of ups and downs, who in particular guided you throughout your career?

Jordan: I think for me it's my dad. My dad's always been there he's always taken me training three or four times a week, given me extra coaching, taking me places, buying my gloves. Even now he's pushing 60 and still coming to my games. He's kept me on the right path, when my mates were going out on a Thursday night, my dad kept me in the right direction to help me achieve what I could in my career.

INMR: What about on the pitch, what player inspired you growing up?

Jordan: It's a bit of an outsider but I looked up to Jack Butland. His playing style, the way he distributes the ball and the way he carries himself. A lot of people would expect me to say Joe Hart but for me it's Butland. I think his mannerisms reflects mine too. A lot of people compare my communication to Jordan Pickford, I'm very vocal on the pitch but I think for me communication is key as a goalkeeper. You've got be able to talk to your back line and I think if I was a defender I'd want a goalkeeper behind me who can communicate and help me out through the game. But yeah for me Butland was always that one that I looked up to and I had him as my home screen on my phone.

INMR: People commonly say that the goalkeeper has the loneliest role on the pitch. How hard is it being a goalkeeper especially when you are at a low point mentally?

Jordan: Yeah it's the argument that goes on all the time between outfield players and goalkeepers. Everyone neglects the goalkeeper unless you're sort of your goalkeeper yourself. Lots of people have heard of the Goalkeeper's Union but it's so true, there's people that understand when we're going through the highs and lows. When we don't keep the ball out the net we're the first ones to blame so as a goalkeeper, in my opinion, it's the hardest position on the pitch because mentally it can affect you. You can make one mistake and then you've got a whole crowd behind you giving you a load of rubbish. As a goalkeeper there are so many highs and so many lows it's difficult to find that midpoint.

INMR: Yes of course and those highs and lows are a massive part of football. What is the biggest obstacle you had to face in your career?

Jordan: When I was told they weren't going to renew my contract at Wigan. I was 19 years old, living away from home for 3 years. I wasn't allowed to see my parents and I missed Christmas' because I was told to settle into digs life and being away from family. After all, as a football player as most of us know, it is a lonely career.

INMR: And how did you find coming out of that elite scene initially?

Jordan: It was a massive difference from Arsenal to Wigan. It's a lot of different moving into Non-League as well I'm used to training as much as possible so you go from full-time training and a ready-made gym routine to coming out into Non-League where you're training twice a week sometimes once a week. I found it hard coming out the the full-time system as you have to look after your body yourself. When you're that full-time environment you've got your sports scientist, your physiotherapist, your nutritionist and you come into Non-League where some clubs have got that and other clubs have the bare minimum. I try and keep my standards as high as possible by seeking out my own physiotherapist and nutritionist and it does help. I've been out of the full-time environment for nearly five years now so it's been a hard adaption but it's one of them you get used to.

INMR: What's one thing a coach has said to you at any point in your career that has stuck with you?

Jordan: I've had a few goalie coaches in my time but one of the better coaches I've had is Kenny Addai. He was a big believer in trying to catch everything and that always stuck with me I remember him shouting in training "Catch it! Catch it! Catch it!" Another one was "polish your strengths and work on your weaknesses," and that came from Alex Welsh who I know a lot of people will know. I had the pleasure of working with him when I was at Arsenal, he's a a great guy but that's one thing that sticks with me. What I took from that making sure that even though your strengths could be really good you don't want to neglect them even though you're working on your weaknesses.

INMR: Final question for you Jordan, what are three pieces of advice you would give to a young player aspiring to make it as a professional footballer?

Jordan: I think the most important one I'm going to say is enjoy it because at the end of the day, it doesn't matter what level you make it at as long as you're enjoying your football that's what it matters. Don't get me wrong I'd love to be playing the Prem or National League now but as long as I'm enjoying my football that's the most important part. The second one is any opportunities that come up, never turn them down. There have been times I've had opportunities from leaving Arsenal to now that I should have taken and now I look back and I think that could have got me to where I wanted to be now. Thirdly I'd just say just work hard. Keep working hard, it may be painful the time but trust me in the long run it'll work out.

THE FULL INTERVIEW: ONLY ON YOUTUBE

To hear everything about Jordan's career in more detail, go and watch the podcast on YouTube for the full interview.

Written by Isabelle Newnham