James Rowswell - a Welwyn Garden City-born footballer who has recently signed his first professional contract for Tottenham Hotspur - has returned to a Hertfordshire school that played a part in his development.
The 17-year-old defender, who is in his second full-time season at Spurs, visited Bengeo Primary School yesterday (Thursday, March 21) after taking part in after-school football sessions there as a child.
Rowswell was part of the Tottenham squad that won the Under-17 Premier League Cup, having been at the club since the age of five.
During the visit the teenager took part in a Q&A with Year 6 students to offer inspiration and discuss his journey to becoming a professional footballer.
James said: "It has been a brilliant experience coming back here today, several years down the line.
"I remember these sessions when I was younger, the Tottenham Hotspur coaches would arrive and I would always try and impress them, trying my hardest to improve.
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“What it shows is that there is a clear pathway for the kids of these ages, going through the Club’s development programmes to the elite stages or the academy, and I hope they can see that journey.”
Sarah Potts, deputy headteacher at Bengeo Primary School, added: “James always had that drive and passion from a young age.
"It is really inspirational for these kids to see his journey and a pathway for them to also go on to be a professional.”
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