In our experience, the first year is a big step up from the U16s.

• Your child may move away from home into digs
• They grow up fast in terms of mental maturity
• They eat an enourmous amount of food to maintain the incresed energy they burn
• They start to train with the first team which exposes them to another level of physical strength
• The demands made on their body can lead to increased wear and tear
• Some adapt to academy life straight away
• Others find it much harder to adapt to a grown up world and the responsibilities that come with it.

And for parents.

• Your children become less reliant on you
• Match admin and information doesn't automatically reach you directly
• Your children begin to to be more exposed to social media and the risk that entails in falling foul of the law
• And you may begin to think about using the services of a football intermediary or agent
• You may weigh the value of the agent at this stage. Free boots offer doesnt cut it in our book
• Agents should have a plan for the overall welfare for your child and be extreamly well connected
• If it hasn't happenned already, international squad call ups may occur
• The suit you buy them for their signing day, probably won't fit in two months time as they will put on muscle bulk.

But one of the biggest challenges will be maintaining the focus on education. It's tempting for your child to think they are out of that phase of life. The odds are still very much stacked against them signing a pro contract after two years as a scholar. We saw half the second years depart and some did manged to find another football home. Some in a higher league. We continue to advise that football should still be plan B with education a firm plan A.