Pro Contract Offered to Amateur
At 21-years old Chris Smith might have been forgiven for thinking that his dreams of becoming a professional footballer were over. But after beating more than 5,500 entrants to win Samsung s second Win A Pro Contract competition and a boot deal with Pro-Direct Soccer, the Stoke-on-Trent-born defender is set to fulfil a lifetime ambition when he signs a 12-month contract with Swindon Town.
SoccerBible caught up with The Robins newest signing to find out what it feels like to be picked by Paolo Di Canio, which players he looks up to and the challenges ahead at the County Ground. Chris s road to glory started in September with skills trials and a 5-a-side match, before he made it through two 11-a-side games to reach the Final played in front of Paolo Di Canio at Swindon s County Ground. Chris was one of four players selected to train with Swindon Town in February before Di Canio made his decision.
SoccerBible: Did you think you could win when you entered Samsung s Win A Pro Contract competition?
Chris Smith: No, I didn t. I always planned to take it game-by-game. The first trial went well and I managed to get through. From there I just looked forward to each round of trials. I never assumed I d make it all the way to the end and win it.
| It was only when I got down to the final four players that I realised I had a good chance of winning the competition. The other three lads are all very talented and each of them played well during the trials. I just had to prove to Paolo Di Canio what I can do.
It s every football fan s dream to turn professional, how did you react when you heard the news? CS: I couldn t believe it, I was in shock. It was absolutely brilliant news but I just didn t know what to say. Paolo said: Say hello to your new manager! I was like Ey up, gaffer , but it was such a surreal situation. It still hasn t sunk in yet.
CS: Everything has been mad since I found out I d won. I went out for a quiet drink with my mates on Wednesday and had a chat about everything. They were all winding me up but it was good fun. I definitely won t be over-celebrating as I ve still got a lot of hard work ahead of me. |
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What has your new manager Paolo Di Canio said to you?
CS: He told me he wanted me to get to Swindon as soon as possible and start training. He said he s looking forward to seeing me and also something about why he chose me but I couldn t really hear him properly as my family were in the background celebrating! Paolo has been excellent with me. He s very organised and strict but that s what makes him so well respected. He s doing great things at Swindon and his playing career speaks for itself.
What was like when you trained with the squad? Were you nervous?
CS: I know what I can do and I was just anxious to get out onto the pitch and prove myself. I just wanted to show Paolo what I can do.
Did you notice a big step-up in quality? Did you feel as though you could cope with it?
CS: There was a massive difference between the Swindon players and the non-league environment I m used to. Everything is done at a much faster pace and all the players are strong and physical. It was hard work but I think I fitted in well.
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How are you feeling about linking up with your new team-mates?
Are there any players that you are particularly excited about training with and playing alongside?
CS: Luke Rooney stood out for me in training. He always looked sharp and is a really good lad. I m also really looking forward to training with Paul Caddis. He s Swindon s first-choice right-back and I m sure I can learn a lot from him .
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competition. Although I can defend, I m a very attacking full-back. I like getting forward, creating chances and scoring goals. I m similar to Paul Caddis in many ways.
Which players do you look up to?
CS: Caddis is the club captain and he s played in the Champions League against Barcelona while he was at Celtic. He s got a lot of experience and hopefully I can follow in his footsteps. Gary Neville is another right-back I look up to. He had a fantastic career for Manchester United and England.
How will your life change?
CS: There s bound to be some big changes in my life but I can t wait for them to start. I ve wanted to be a footballer for my whole life and I m completely ready to adapt to everything that comes with the job.
What do you do at the moment?
CS: I m currently halfway through a Sports Coaching and Development degree at Staffordshire University. I want to carry on with my studies while I play football and Swindon and Samsung have already said they will help me to do that. I also work in my dad s oatcake shop on a Sunday so he ll have to find someone else to help him out. I might come back and give him a hand during the summer though!
Before winning this competition, what had been your football highlight?
CS: I won a national cup final with my college team. We had a really good side but to win such a big tournament was a massive achievement. I ve also got to train with the likes of Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Gus Poyet, Robert Di Matteo, Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Matt Holland and Kevin Davies. They all did their UEFA B coaching badges at a centre near my college and we were fortunate enough to be invited along to train with them.
Part of your prize is a boot deal with Pro-Direct Soccer. What boots will you choose?
CS: I ve chosen two pairs. Firm ground Nike CTR360 boots in black, white and red and soft ground Nike Tiempo Legends in black, white and orange.
SoccerBible has followed the progress of the Samsung 'Win A Pro Contract' competition in association with Pro-Direct Soccer, and we'll be keen to see if the opportunity returns next year to unearth more footballing talent. Let us know what you think and whether you participated in this year's competition, join the conversation online, on Twitter and on Facebook.
