Cheltenham Town attacking midfielder Charlie Dashfield believes that Cheltenham Town is the perfect academy for players taking a path into the professional game.
Dashfield is an attacking midfielder that joined the Cheltenham academy when he was 13 having originally been involved in South Gloucestershire Development Centre.
He said: “It’s different at Cheltenham (compared to other academies), they’re a lot stricter with you, if you make a mistake that’s it. Whereas at Cheltenham it’s a learning environment.”
Dashfield like many of the youth players in the Robin’s academy ranks, believes this learning environment offers the perfect pathway through to first-team opportunities at The Jonny-Rocks Stadium.
“I see it,” Dashfield said: “Callum Ebanks was in my situation last season and now he’s playing and training with the first team it’s there to see it’s just taking that opportunity.”
However, rather than first-team football, Dashfield’s focus is directed towards a more readily available goal as a crucial stage in his career development approaches.
He explained: “First things first, the pro-contract, whether that be here, or another academy. If that doesn’t happen, I just want to play as high a level of football as I possibly can.”
Dashfield featured for Cheltenham’s U18s throughout their successful FA Youth Cup run with a win against Tuffley Rovers and an unfortunate loss against Exeter City.
He said: “It was a good experience playing under floodlights at a stadium, people were watching over YouTube, so it was a good experience, not the result we wanted but we all learnt from it and I think we’ll be ready next year.”
The experience was a different one for the youth players as for the first time this season they had to play more than the regulation 90 minutes with the fixture heading to extra-time.
Dashfield said: “It’s difficult, especially on that pitch, which was very slippy, very muddy, it was hard to run for 90 minutes so it was difficult.”
The young player has spent time in both Southampton and Bristol City’s academies before joining Cheltenham but was never able to get past the trial phase at either club.
“I was at Southampton for two and a half years they have a strange system,” he said. “I was training and playing with the academy but technically on trial.”
Southampton divide their academy into three tiers with a development centre, trialists and then the main academy to make it less of an emotionally taxing experience if released.
He said: “It’s different but it’s like you’ve been signed because you know the clubs and they’re your mates just without the official decision.”
But as a Bristol City fan a period of time being a part of their academy was a great moment for Dashfield but it wasn’t an easy period.
Dashfield said: “It was nice to put on their shirt, but it was harder than Southampton being let go because it is your team, but it didn’t affect me too much and it thought one day I do want to play for you in the future.”
“My parents are very good with it, I used to get quite annoyed and upset but I realised you need to make mistakes to succeed”
Dashfield on how he as overcome the disappointment of being released twice
Dashfield will be looking to build off of the impressive recent form of the u18 team as he continues his individual push for first-team football under manager Michael Duff.
Dan Carter Sport 