Last season was highly successful for 18 year-old winger CHRIS ROGERS. A regular place in our youth team, with a goals tally into double figures, a first team debut, the youth team player of the year and player's player awards, schools international recognition, and to cap it all, Chris made a televised
appearance as a substitute in the FAW Premier Cup Final!
This season has seen him on the fringe of the first team squad, and he is keen for the opportunity to press his claims for a place in the team.
He said: "I have had nowhere near as many games this season and now I am no longer at the Academy, it is harder to impress. I am hoping for a chance though and if that happens I will try to take it and stay in the team."
Chris relies on his explosive pace and it is sometimes difficult for wingers to stay involved in the game if they do not receive much of the baIl. He has had plenty of help though from coaches Glyn Jones and Roger Skyrme since he came on trial in the summer of 2001, having attended the strongly rugby-orientated West Mon School in Pontypool.
Sport runs in the Rogers family because his father Mark was a good class sprinter and his elder brother Jonathan has played basketbaIl to a high standard. Annette, his mother, has also given him encouragement to pursue his football ambitions.
He explained: "I did play football at school but it was hard to develop because they concentrated on rugby, so most of my
football was with Griffilhstown in the Torfaen League. It wasn't the best standard but I did try to gain a place at both the Newport and Cwmbran football academies.
"Cwmbran didn't get back to me but when I went there later for the Welsh schools trial their coach said he couldn't believe they had missed me. After my trial at Hartridge, Roger asked me how I would get down from New Inn if selected, so I guessed that he wanted me to join."
The first year was relatively uneventful as Chris tried to adapt to the rise in standard and he feels he did not show much consistency. His raw ability and pace was unquestioned, but he learned how important it was that team shape was maintained and this, together with sessions aimed at improving his crossing, made him a much better player.
Chris said: "I think that the work improved my confidence, though playing on the wing is the worst position if the ball doesn't come to you. Roger and Glyn impressed that you have to still impose yourself on the game and by the second year, I felt I was a big part of the youth team."
His first team debut was in front of a tiny crowd at Sutton Coldfield where a youthful County side was a little unfortunate to suffer a 2-1 defeat. His next outing though was in an important FA W Premier Cup game at Bangor where he impressed as we gained the point necessary to qualify for the quarter-finals, and he made his league debut in front of home fans in a disappointing defeat against Welling as substitute in December 2002.
His progress was noted by the national schools selectors and after making his international debut as a substitute at Waterford in a 1-1 draw with the Republic of Ireland, Chris made the starting line- up for the home game for Wales against Scotland, scoring the first goal in a 3-0 victory. Academy colleagues Gethyn Jones and Josh Dupres were also in the Welsh side, and they must have been as surprised as Chris that his goal was from a header!
By the time he made his first league starting appearance here against Chelmsford in last season's final home game, he feels he was in the best form of his life. The close season possibly came at the wrong time for him because he found it difficult to carry that momentum into the current campaign, having concluded his two years studies at Hartridge School.
The awards at the end of the season seem to have surprised him and he said: "I was not really expecting it and it was especially nice to be recognised by the other players."
He has been performing casual work for Technicolour in Cwmbran, packaging CDs and DVDs, and is looking to go to college next September, though he wants to remain with the club, he hopes, an increasing role in the first team. Since the turn of the year, he has planned to return to regular training sessions with the Academy and he hopes these will help him to push his claims for a first-team place again.