A TEENAGER from Okehampton joins Aston Villa Football Club this week with premier league stardom now well within his sights.
Colin Marshall, 16, has signed up for a two-year apprenticeship with the club playing for its junior sides.
Having just completed his GCSEs at Okehampton College, Colin, who played for Southampton Junior FC for two years, is very excited at the prospect of joining a high profile club like Aston Villa.
The youngster's talent was first spotted when he was a captain of the Okehampton Argyle under 12s team but his success at Southampton has resulted in many teams vying for his attention.
'I was offered better contracts for lower division clubs but if they did not take me on at the end of the two years I would not be able to go any higher,' he said. 'If it does not work out with Villa, I can fall back to a second or third division team.'
For the past four years, Colin's life has been dominated by football but his school work has never suffered. Weekends were spent in Southampton, training and playing matches but it was back to college each Monday morning.
Since he was a little boy, Colin has dreamed of becoming a professional footballer but he knows how important it is to gain academic qualifications.
'Aston Villa has arranged for me to attend a college two days a week so I can study for my A-levels,' he said. 'I plan to take PE and psychology so there are other options open to me later on if necessary.'
Whilst at Aston Villa he will progress to the under 19s team and if he is lucky gain a place in the premiership reserves team, where the likes of David Ginola started out.
Next month Colin, who moved to Okehampton with his mum and brother from their native Scotland five years ago, will also take part in trials for Scotland.
Despite his obvious football talent, the teenager admits it has been a struggle to get where he is and the one person who has kept him going through all the trials and travelling has been his mum.
'She is brilliant — whenever I needed sponsorship money mum found it and when I did not have a club to go to mum encouraged me to keep going,' he said. 'I cannot wait to go to Aston Villa but I am really going to miss mum, my brother and my girlfriend.'
Colin's mother Margaret Marshall said it would be a wrench to see him go but it was a wonderful achievement.
'Colin has worked so hard — nothing has been handed to him on a plate,' she said. 'It is a great opportunity because now he can go to college and get the training he wants without worrying about sponsoring himself.'