Football Rejection Quotes

There's a lot of people out there who don't love football, and I don't want anything to do with those guys.

I went to Cardiff on trial for six weeks and felt I did really well, but then they turned around and said they weren't going to sign me. It was a bitter pill to swallow because Hereford, where I was playing at the time, were scrapping their youth team, so I didn't have any other options.

I was released by Chelsea at 14 years old. I remember it, a Tuesday night. On the Wednesday, I was training with Fulham, five minutes from my house, and then on the Thursday, I was training with West Ham. After one session at both clubs, they both wanted me.

I played softball and basketball growing up. I really wanted to play football but both parents said no. I was mad for a second, then got over it. Now, just because I'm tall doesn't mean I can play basketball. I was waaaaay better at swinging a bat.

I was quite small as a lad compared to everyone else so I didn't stand a chance at Southampton. They told me one day that they weren't interested so I moved on. I just went away and enjoyed my football.

I had spent four years at Le Havre, and when they told me they weren't keeping me, because I wasn't good for the second division, that hit me hard.

I was 14 when I arrived at Real Sociedad. No team wanted me in France. I trialled for around eight clubs, and then Real came.

When I left Carlisle United for the first time at the age of 16 in 2000, I hated football.