Football clubs should also be pushing their academy players 17/18+ to complete part time college courses in things like business, admin or other practical areas.

Great stuff lads.

Team Jay 🖤

I think this is Stephen's greatest project.

Sir. You have given us the stories of all of us that watch football. This is as close as it gets for 99% of us. That's why I love Manchester 🙏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

Love it guys...really deep and REAL!!! Big shout out to the boys for opening up as well 👊🏾❤️

Professionally produced and compelling documentary, football fans far and wide should see this, get it on telly!

Please share this in the Main Stretford Paddock channel. This deserves a bigger audience. Reminds of the Last Chance U shows on Netflix.

I challenge anyone who says that Stretford Paddock FC is "just a KZfaq team" to sit down and watch this. Great film, great stories - well done to all involved. UTFP

Had the pleasure of coming up against J in a game last season top top player but also sound guy best of luck with the trials lad

My dad was a footballer in the 50s, had a career ending injury in his early 20s but he had gone to college and was a qualified draughtsman so he had that to fall back on. His dad was a also a footballer in the 30s and 40s at a couple of current premier league clubs but he worked full time in a factory and fitted the football around his shifts. Football is very different now, the money is so good it’s a very good living even if you don’t become a top player, there is little incentive to get a trade, and probably little time, focus is all on making it as a footballer.

Up the Paddock! So great to see guys rediscover their love of the game, playing with their mates and being able to showcase their talents.

What a brilliant documentary,the real story of what happens to 98% of young lads that try to make it in the professional game . Should be seen by the wider football world and a post discussion about how players deal with the rejection ,the loss of interest in football ,and of course the mental issues that clearly happen to these guys . Stretford Paddock take a bow ,you all should be proud of this journalist masterpiece.

Fantastic stuff. Really brave stories told. I support Chester FC ( national league North ) and I love it when people who get released by the big academies get chances and then go on to amazing things. Our captain now George Glendon was released by Liverpool, hadn't played for a while and has helped show lifes effected in this way by football can also be helped by football. Hope more people see this documentary and players share their stories

Great vid as usual Adam. This is what this channel was created for, showing both highs and the lows of starting a club and playing for a club. Well done to everyone in the video, very touching. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

Fckn phenomenal this. As someone who lives outside of Europe all I ever see is the sexy side of the game. The superstars, the riches and the dream! This is eye opening AF. I remember getting mad at Jesse and Rashford for posting that statistic of how few players make it, but man the termoil they go through to get there, bask in it lads!! Ste pointing out that "it's everybody's dream to play football, except for some of those being offered the opportunity" is a massive indictment of how little these lads are getting protected. Eye opening as all hell, that. Thank you for this video, great insight

The amount of views and likes this has for how good it is is absolutely disgusting. Top work as per lads 🙌

This is just so good! Howson deserves a lot of credit for all the initiatives, and for balancing all these different things. Takes some guts and incredible work ethic

Beautiful video! Proud of the Paddock project! I can relate my younger brother's story to Jay's. At youth level he was a class GK and wasn't offered a professional contract at Sheffield United, he hit rock bottom and took him about 5 years to find a new path in life, through lots of support he managed to go on and get a degree in adapted exercise and fitness. At present he's doing well but kind of wished clubs did more to prepare the kids for a plan B in life. All the best Jay, keep banging in them beauts and keep up the amazing work Ste and Co! 👏👏👏

Great video and its so true I think even more so back in the 60's I always used to think it was not what you know but who you know, keep up the good work, From Thailand a Manc born and bread

I often don't agree with your football opinions, but I have to commend you on what you are doing with your side. This film needs a far wider audience and those young people need to be given hope that maybe the premiership dream may be over but there are other dreams out there and they can continue to love the game rather than be destroyed by the sport they once loved. Well done.

You can’t help but love Ste s passion to help young footballers get a new path into football hats off to ya Mr Howson for not giving up on these lads especially through Covid massive respect ✊🏻

Absolutely brilliant! Its great to see people like Jay, Nosu and Ronaldo get the mental support that they need and come back stronger.

Absolutely class Honestly fanstatic Bring this issue to light is needed and this needs to be shared

As a person who is struggling with lockdown this really hits home thanks wat a brilliant video well done lads

So good man. Love the longform content and mad to see the progression of this channel even since I saw you in Perth! Will deffo get down to a Paddock game when I can!

Cracking documentary and there’s a brilliance in what your doing with paddock Ste win lose or draw you can see the solidarity of your players and it’s commendable 👍

This is proper football. No better feeling than playing with your mates. Video gives me goosebumps, well done Ste & Paddock for giving the lads a opportunity👍🏼

You guys are doing great works, both by what you've built with SPFC, and by sharing these stories that need to be shared. #UTFP

Brilliant insight into some of the struggles of trying to get to the top level!! Another amazing video by the paddock

Smashed it again🙌🏼utfp

Top production this lads , up the paddock

Goosebumps! Hats off! Greetings from Slovakia. You are doing an amazing job. Keep it real and do it because of the love for the game. Can't wait for our grassroots game here to restart and can't wait to see another video of your great journey in Manchester. Up The Paddock!!!

Ive posted this video in a couple of places around Thailand hopefully you will get more views

Great watch. Love to hear these stories. ✌️

Brilliant stuff! really enjoyed this, Thanks lads!

Brilliant work as usual. Touching stories on the highs and lows of pursuing a professional football career.

Great video. Thumbs up to the guys for telling their stories. Plus, Ste was really good and so supportive.

Incredible insight and inspiring to here these stories from the lads, hope each and everyone of them all the best in the future, UTFP🇾🇪

The kind of tales, so common in football, that rarely get the focus they should, with top quality presentation. You should all be proud of docs like this.

Brilliant work guys!

Awesome video boys! The passion is evident. It’s great to see what goes on behind the games.

Excellent work. You guys are going from strength to strength on all fronts.

Brilliant stuff, lads! Keep up the great work, much love.

Massive love and respect to everyone involved in this. The whole aim of Paddock is commendable and it's great to see and hear people's stories. UTFP

Fantastic work well done!

This is amazing, can’t wait to see what projects you have coming up next. 🔥

Amazing documentary, got more insight and understanding. Keep doing what you're doing, I'm excited to see the journey of this club. Quality content up the paddock ✊🏾

Fantastic work guys. Really is a topic that should be discussed more and credit to the lads finding their way back into the game

You doing good things for these lads guys, keep up the great work 👏🔴

Really enjoyed this, I could really relate to the boys even thou i was never on their level but how they've lost their love of the game and how they've found it again really love the content ❤

So good!! Up the paddock ❤️

Brilliant piece of content. Didn't know how hard the journey was and is.

This was mint the show we didn't know we needed

Great vid really appreciate the time yall to to show and share the personal sacrifices that are required not just the victory glamour and upside of having a club or being successful, I'm from Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean and unfortunately not many youths or ppl understand the kind of sacrifice that is required....we are loaded with naturally gifted and talented youths but lack proper systems discipline and mentoring along with sponsors in some cases to really utilize the talents we have here......and I won't talk about the politics its stifling but I understand no one does anything for free so it is what it is.......thanks again for the video 🙂

Wow. I really appreciated this show very much. Thank you. 👊🏼✊🏼

Amazing documentary, Keep up the good work, Up the paddock!

Well that was awesome. Good luck to you and the boys.

Excellent watch. Well done all for sharing your experiences with us all.

Great documentary 👏 Ste what a bloke you are mate doing a cracking job well done to you and the rest of the paddock team 👍

Brilliant boys keep up the work much love from the states ❤️

Really enjoyed this! All the best everybody & UpThePaddock ⚽️

Amazing stories. Amazing video. Amazing work.

Great work lads, keep it up.

Love this kind of content boys. Fantastic work. Should be picked up by mainstream TV. They could learn a lot

Production quality great as usual

Phenomenal Ste. Long may this continue. Greetings from Singapore.

Well done to everyone involved, that was reet good 👌🏽

Wow , absolutely beautiful to watch. Love this. Love all of this

I love this. Thanks guys!

Now that was just fantastic.

Great job Team Paddock..🇾🇪

Congratulations that was brilliant great insight more of this kind stuff pls

Great content. Keep it up

Such an unbelievable insight

I'm just starting the journey with my 7 year old. Perspective is everything. Thank you.

Love these docu's lads

Thank you.

Great video guys 👍 I know how it feels to lose out on something i loved as a kid, i never got to make major tournaments and to live that dream as pro due to alot family issues and more so to bad injury that never got right. I was manchester kid with a passion for martial arts and wanted to be the next best thing, winning trophies and belts, evening training in gyms in different places around greater manchester even seeing likes of Amir Khan train as boxer in same period at the same place was cool. I was 5 years old when i started doing Karate earn all belts and dans, enjoyed Judo from same trainer, in the 80s thier was nothing really on proffessional level in terms MMA at all and at that time, it was just single sports people did in terms of fighting wether it was Boxing, Karate and Kickboxing etc not a multitude of skills. As i trained and enjoyed doing eastern asian sports i started to think at early age i want more, i wanted to sponge all martial arts known to man lol i just loved everything about eastern asian culture in that way even started to collect weapons even craft my own from Nunchakus, Staffs and more. I started to mimic games and movie fighting styles it was crazy, watching a film and copying say Donnie Yen or Bruce Lee, even Steven Seigal, doing this as kid and going training literally boosted my morale and me as a young fighter, i became a fighting addict lol i had plenty street fighting practice too for real on streets of manchester, practiced on bullies, local groups and gangs. I was told growing up that i have that fearless fighting spirit thats in the family wether it was a military man or fighter, we had boxers in our family tree even bare knuckle fighters those stories inspired me more and shit tonne of military history and i thought as a kid if im to become a military man like the family in special forces or wherever it may lead me, i wanted to be dangerous, especially growing up local woodland with survival instincts too, from young age i achieved alot and was more mature than average teen at that youthful years from 5 and upward because of my family, My life was tough also especially in terms of child abuse growing up but this was my mental block, to set aside the pain and unhappyness i went through, i channelled it in these sports and other things i loved doing. Few years passed i earned what i could from Karate, enjoyed small sessions of Judo from same trainer but then he was like were are you learning Kung Fu and Akido your brilliant at counterring, i just replied movies at home or if my brother plays snes fighting games, i watch and try things out to change my style. Just looking at his face i knew he was impressed but personal issues soon stripped me away from my training for financial reasons,being youngster i had no clue how to travel to were i was training or to stay in contact, i felt a weird ache at the time inside literally gutted, i felt heart broken that my mother would do this, roughly 5 to 6 years of different training stripped away. So i kinda slipped off for awhile but still trained at home being around 10 or 11 years old, hell i was so mature as youngster, i use to get 2 litre bottles, a broom stick and some of my dads sand from bricky work he did and made my own weights and worked out with teen friend who also did it with me, he was like my shadow or i was his lol. Few years had past i was good at 4 martial arts but it wasnt enough i wanted to be training with proffessionals not DIY, i spent years training as hobby and fun, looking up to movie idols even local fighting idols especially one guy i trained under a british champion Sandy Holt. Then i said to my father in my early teens, i dont want to give up on this and thats when i started to fall in love for Maui Thai and Kickboxing by time i was teen i was a beast 6 styles under my wing molded into my own way of fighting style mixing em up together, it became an addiction pushing myself even wanted to travel and live in far east once i left school and leave my family behind, to sponge more but my dreams was soon to shatter. I had more than most at potential of being a UK champion even global contender without a shadow of doubt, i had my highs and lows in family but my confidence shined past all that as i focused on my dreams. Then my family wanted me to join the forces also, so ontop of my kickboxing and maui thai, i joined Queens Lancashire Regiment and pretty much told my family if im to go through with military i know what i want to achieve and be, once being a cadet and breezing through different training and marathon sessions, carrying a berghaus with bricks in etc bare knuckle press ups you name it pushed myself, Acing target ranges etc etc i was asked by Staff Seargent what do i want from the army because i have potential. I just replied honestly i want to be a proffessional fighter and this would be right disipline for it but if i am to stay, im interested in becoming a Sniper i enjoyed training and cleaning my rifle and holding that power, Royal Marine Commando get a taste for special forces that kinda thing areas that certain family trained in and took part in, i was punching above my weight as youngster but i wanted to aim high and attempt to follow centuries of family tradition and keep that side of the family happy but stay clear of para regiment as i didnt like to fly lol at all i preferred going places by boat atleast i can swim. I remember returning from Altcar military complex in UK, and was told i be going back to wales in month, it had me thinking will i ever become a figher or stuck in military, in that down period of rest i had time to think. At that time i was stoked but i began to miss fighting so in my down time i went back to Holts gym picking up were i left off, then a week later i was picked as right winger at school, man i was tired, even came down bad case of flu. I had so many responsibilities i knew then if i had to pick fighting my number one, getting smarter i knew i want this military life but i dont want to be a pawn in bogus war get shot over oil etc so i had decisions to make, but for now i was back in school and ready for local match and thats when my decision was made. Day of the game, we was drawing 2-2 against a local school side in next district Mount Saint Josephs and for some reason i decided to nutmeg a player down the wing and did a 360 over the ball, eith instinct and past him that literally distracted him, as i paced in towards box i was just about to play through ball to the striker who was clear on goal to bring us up 3-2 and a dude must been 12 stone a young rugby lad, playing in defense decided to take me out literally, as i played the pass he threw his leg and weight at my knee and as i propelled forward he took my knee out, it literally did 360 also or was it me spinning to floor that caused the twist either way i was fucked, something he later regretted years later but that was it i knew lay thier screaming in agony my dreams were done. Match ended a draw, i was stretched off to MRI and the damage back then was very severe it lead to me dislocating my knee many times after that down the years but at the time it was all the bad news rushing in from fighting trainer, then the army, lost out on football spot at that point i felt my life was over i was barely 16 years old and to top it off come leaving school lol i lost few family members i went through shit time and i ended up homeless by alchoholic father. That one game of football, that one person ended everything before half-time, part me felt once i was 16 no were to go, that dude had to pay and he must of done it in jealousy. Year later i got my first caution for breaking his Jaw, Nose and Pinky Finger but i felt satisfied, it felt like closure. It is hard when you lose out on dreams and family and your world turns upside down, but i have alot respect for you guys, your still young even if you dont make it as a Pro, you still have coaching, honest journalism none of this paper and media bullshit and other opportunities to stay in that field even counciling for youth who also lose out on dreams to prevent such things as suicide, oh believe me i been thier im still alive to this day but suffer from injuries sustained, hell i should write two part autobiography lol maybe that would come good. Stretford Paddock FC just enjoy everything one step at a time, whatever comes your way take it or try something new.

What a great watch and a great story.

Brilliant very inspiring,hope the young lads and their parents watch this!!!

Top work lads, up the paddock Maybe in a month, you guys could do an update or some other players at the club

Wow, keep it up ste... Just keep it going. Brilliant stuff!

Powerful stuff lads 👊

Just came across this video. And loved it! A real insight into a side of football that's not reported on! Ronaldo brown is a name I'm familiar with and was interesting to hear his story. Fantasticly produced video could see you guys going far

As a young manager and ex player I can relate with the boys..and ste I look up too u good luck too #paddock

Brilliant, great content really interesting

Magic.

One of the best yt vids i have ever watched.

Best ever from Stretford Paddock

Seem really nice lads, clearly very talented to get scouted by such big clubs.

Top video 👍🏼

Amazing watch lads up the paddock. Here if anyone needs to talk about depression I've been threw the same hope you get promoted this year ste

Great insight. I know Peter Withe's son Jason pretty well and I had a few conversations with him about this, he's done well in management abroad and is a really decent guy, he's been both let go and also had to let players go, it's never easy and it's not talked about enough. What happens in football compares quite well though compared to the music industry. Talent and determination aren't enough in music, there are virtuosos playing in guitar shops or delivering Pizza, their moments of success are decided by the current whims of a fickle industry and what it wants to sell. I'm not talking about the singers on the Karaoke talent shows, I'm talking about serious talent who have put their lives into their craft and create something new from nothing, original songs. Yet it doesn't matter how good they are, if it's not what the industry wants it's not getting heard. Even those who make it get paid bugger all by Spotify etc and have to make their money on merch and touring and even touring is now a monopoly owned by One Nation and Ticketmaster. The one thing musicians have over footy players though is that it's something they can do all their lives, it doesn't end in their 30's and most are constantly improving not getting worse thus their dream never ends and for the footy players theirs ends at such a young age it must crush their souls.

Really interesting good work

WHEN SERIE A WAS BIG AND THE BUSINESS THEY USED TO HAVE A PLACE WHERE OUT OF CONTRACT PLAYERS WITH NO TEAMS USED TO GO AND TRAIN,IN ENGLAND WE HAVE THE BEST FOOTBALL PYRAMID IN THE WORLD SO THERE ARE ALWAYS CLUBS AS LONG AS THE PLAYERS ARE WILLING TO PLAY THERE,THERE ARE TOO MANY FOREIGN PLAYERS IN ENGLISH FOOTBALL,FULL STOP,ENGLAND HAS ENOUGH GOOD PLAYERS BUT THEY ARE NOT GIVEN THE CHANCE AND THE FOREIGNERS USE THE TANACITY THEY LEARN FROM THE ENGLISH TO BEAT THEM WITH IT AT WORLD CUPS AND EUROS

Big up mates❤️

Late to this one lads, excellent!

More clubs should copy Crystal Palace and have an aftercare package after players a released from academy to let them train whilst getting them trials elsewhere whilst also getting them qualifications

Greetings from Norway