Tag: Feature

Myles was just 17 when he made his first-team debut, coming on for the closing stages of our intense encounter away to Manchester City, when we were holding on with 10 men. No easy introduction into life at the top level for the teenager then, but he was anything but overawed.

“I just felt ready,” he says. “I’d been waiting for that moment for a long time, so when it came I wasn’t taken by surprise. I was prepared to go on. I was raring to go.
I had to be extra careful though, because I’d already been booked before I even got on!

“But I’ve really enjoyed being involved with the team. This is what, as a boy, I really wanted to achieve – playing first-team football, getting minutes for the first team. Now the next step is, can I keep doing it? Can I keep maintaining my level? Can I keep reaching new heights? And that’s what I’m trying to do at the moment.

“It’s been special to share it with Ethan [Nwaneri] as well because we’ve been so close growing up,” he adds. “We were talking about this for years, so it’s like we’ve talked it into existence!

“As kids together we knew we both had what it takes, so we’ve been pushing each other ever since to reach what we want to reach. But there is still a long way to go on that.”

Ethan and Myles have shared their football journey together so far – being part of the same intake at Hale End, and of course being in the same school year. And the two combined when it was time to take their GCSEs in 2023.

“We were actually abroad for the GCSEs, with England at the Euros at the time,” he says. “It was the Under-17 Championships in Hungary, so I was revising every night in the team hotel. I was up at stupid times in the morning as well. It was crazy.

“We did the exams around the games, so all of our devices were taken from us. It’s all a bit of a blur, because exams are stressful anyway, so with the football as well it was a lot to juggle. But I was determined to do well because I’d put the work in for the years so I didn’t want to ruin it at the end. I was with Ethan as well, so it was kind of fun revising together. It’s a good memory to have really.”

The studying has continued since then. Myles is currently studying for AS Levels in both Spanish and business studies. So why did he choose those two subjects?

“Well Spanish, because I really like learning languages, and I particularly like Spanish. I want to be fluent in other languages – I feel that’s important. Also I feel if I can be fluent in one language it will be easier to pick up others too. I try to practice around the Spanish speakers in the dressing room – they correct me a lot!

“My Spanish teacher, Marta, comes to the training ground so it’s great to work around my training and playing schedule. She taught me at school as well, so I’ve known her a long time. I had four lessons a week last year, but now with the football schedule it’s about two or three. She sets me a lot of homework to make up for it!

“And as for business studies, I think it’s a necessity to have that knowledge when you are growing up, to know about business structures and how everything works.”

So as a lifelong learner, is Myles – who only turned 18 in September – already thinking about his post-playing career?

“No not really, I don’t know what I’ll do. I’ve got a lot of interests, but as of right now I’m not really thinking about it. I would like to do some travelling and be with my family. But further than that, I don’t know – I’ll have to get back to you on that!”