Stephen 'Nabs' scholarship with Swans (From Western Telegraph)

Stephen 'Nabs' scholarship with Swans

After seven years of hard work, commitment and superb football, local 16 year old, Stephen McNabney, has been offered a scholarship with Swansea City Association Football Club Limited.

At the tender age of nine, Stephen was playing locally for FAW coaching education officer, George Barrah in mini football. He was very impressed with the talent of this young player, and he recommended Stephen go forward for trials with the FAW Centre of Development and Swansea City Centre of Development.

Here young McNabney, or 'Nabs' as his Swansea peers now call him, was illustrious in his performance and was immediately signed up by Malcolm Elias.

Stephen's first experience of football at professional club level was an impressive one with matches at mini football level against Cheltenham, Bristol Rovers, Torquay United, Plymouth Argyle, Bournemouth, Portsmouth, Exeter, Walsall, Oxford, Herefordshire, Swindon and Cardiff and a debut on the Vetch watched by another local player, Simon Davies, who at the time was playing for Peterborough.

A feat in itself, it has been the strong commitment by young 'Nabs' and his family that has provided him with a professional career in the sport he dearly loves.

Training sessions in Swansea twice a week and matches around various areas of the UK for the past seven years, illustrates the commitment and dedication needed for any up-and-coming player from Pembrokeshire.

A student at Sir Thomas Picton School, Haverfordwest, Nabs has been hitting the headlines in the Swansea press for the past two years with his enviable goal scoring abilities.

This was recently displayed locally at the Bridge Meadow, when playing against the McWhirter U17s, Stephen netted a hat-trick for the Cygnets in their 3-0 victory over Haverfordwest.

Continual assessment over the years, both in training and in games, has been necessary for his personal development, with a performance profile being painted on him.

Qualities which are included are physical (e.g. stamina and speed), psychological (e.g. confidence and motivation), co-ordination (e.g. balance), strategic awareness (e.g. tactics) and character (e.g. dedication and time-keeping).

Stephen's continual impressive performance has now provided him with a regular team place in Swansea's U19s squad under the guidance of head youth development officer and former Welsh international, Alan Curtis.

Perhaps one day in the not-to-distant-future the highly rated youngster may play in the Premiership or even go on to earn national honours.