Cameron Lissimore Media

Alfie Wellens
Position – Central Midfield
Current Club – Leyton Orient
Previous Clubs – Manchester United, Burnley FC
Age : 16

Briefly Summarise your growing up around football before joining your first academy…

I have grown up around football all my life as my dad was a professional and my brother was in the Manchester United academy at the time. I went on to join a grassroots team with my friends, later leaving them for a higher ranked side where I built friendships, and won a lot of trophies there. From then it stopped as I couldn’t play grassroots football anymore and was stuck to just playing academy football.

How did it feel joining your first academy and did it change your perspective on playing football?

It felt amazing. Obviously to sign for my boyhood club and the team I supported is a great feeling. And to sign at such a young age made it even better.

How was your time at your first two academies, Manchester United and Burnley?

The time I had at Manchester United was great. They allowed me to go on tours abroad, make new friendships and improve me not only as a player but also as a person. But at Burnley, it just wasn’t as good as United for me as they just had that bit extra. However it was still great, unreal facilities and a platform for players to do well and express themselves there.

What is it like in the time between being released and finding a new club to play for?

It was quite easy when I was released from Manchester United as I went straight on trials to Stoke City and Burnley and ended up signing for Burnley. However the period after my release from Burnley was tough. GCSEs were coming up, I wasn’t doing great at school and was trying to find a new club during that time. When you go somewhere new, you don’t know anyone and it is also tough to try and show the coaches what you have, it’s a high pressure situation. I then went to exit trials where released players from EFL clubs go into showcase games, and at that point a lot of clubs showed interest. However it became a tough decision as MK Dons, Colchester United, Plymouth Argyle and Bromley all wanted to see what I had alongside a few non league clubs from up north and down south. That’s when I had to make a decision whether I was going to leave my family and go on trials at these places but thankfully I’m now at Leyton Orient.

How did it feel signing for Leyton Orient and how did the opportunity come about?

It was a relief you know, I had signed the scholarship after a lot of stress from school and the GCSE season. So to sit down and sign it was a relief and it obviously felt amazing. The opportunity came from an exit trial, my dad told me that there was a Leyton Orient scout at a showcase game. After that I trained with them a few times over the easter period and it all went on from there really.

Did it make you feel more comfortable knowing the Wellens surname has already got a great deal of pedigree at the club?

It wasn’t any different from the welcoming I had at my other clubs to be honest. Obviously I know how much my dad is appreciated at the club, but it doesn’t change the fact that I want to live up to that as well. I want to be in and around the first team, eventually go pro and do everything I can for myself. I also want to do everything I can for the club because it has helped me and my dad out massively over his and my time there.

How easy did you find it to settle in with the team?

The lads were really welcoming. For the first two months I stayed with a host family, which was a player’s family so I got on with them really well and built a friendship with him pretty quickly. And on the pitch it clicked pretty much instantly. The way we play and move the ball is easy to understand and has formed good bonds on the pitch.

In pre-season, you and many of the other scholarship lads, made an appearance in a 5-1 win over St Albans City, how did that feel?

It was a great feeling as you want to be in the first team. It’s an experience you get to share with the other lads and it was a good opportunity to show the supporters and coaches what the youth team has. For me, it was hard as I was playing through pain, but it was still a great feeling for everyone involved on the night.

Unfortunately, following this match you discovered a Back Injury which has sidelined you since then and for the coming few months, how did it feel hearing that news so early in the season?

It was tough. Very tough to take after having a good preseason, getting to know the lads and learning the style of play. But then finding out I will be out for 12-14 weeks was hard but then again these things are a part of football. I just have to keep at it, you look at the first team and the likes of Jordan Graham, he has just returned from being sidelined for ten and a half months. These things happen and it really tests you mentally.

How has the recovery been, and how have you had to adapt your life as a first year scholar with this setback?

I have just been working as hard as I can, even if that’s the bike in the gym. I always give 100% because I know when I return it will bite back at me if I’m not at it in the gym all the time. So I’m always working and trying my best so when I come back I can be as fit and as strong as possible.

Looking forward now, what are your aims going forwards in terms of recovery, once you’re back out on the pitch, and furthermore by the end of the season?

I want to do the best I can this season. I want to get into the team and score double digits but I know that I have to take it step by step and day by day and just keep at it. Next year I would like to go out on loan to experience men’s football more regularly. Hopefully it will discipline me and help me to understand different sides of the game.

Many thanks to Alfie for taking the time to do this interview, and I wish him well for the rest of the season!

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