A boy from Sheffield who has links to Stocksbridge. We have seen that before with Jamie Vardy, and it explains why he is idolised by someone starting out in football. Tommy Marshall is on a mission to make a name for himself in the Beautiful Game.
Marshall won the Watermans Men’s Academy Player of the Month award for October and completed a loan move to Stocksbridge Park Steels for the rest of the season to gain development experience while playing with the academy. It is an opportunity for the young forward to try and earn regular first-team football.
He said: “I started football at a very young age, just kicking a ball about with my dad. But then I got scouted by Sheffield Wednesday and was there for around five to six years. I got released at the age of 13 just before scholarships and that really did affect me.
“I had a couple of years off to play Sunday league and then I started getting back into it. Chesterfield then picked me up. They are a brilliant club that helped me out and got me back on track.”
The 19-year-old has found the net 12 times already and has also supplied six assists.
Meanwhile, it has been quite the footballing journey for the Watermans Women’s Academy Player of the Month, Butterworth. At the age of just 16, she has managed to break into the first team already and started scoring goals, culminating in winning the award.
She said: “My dad got me into football, and I started off in an all-boys’ team which he was the manager of. I was there for a few seasons. I then moved on to Belper Town and trained there, which got me trials at Derby County.
“I did get in (to the academy) but I lost all my confidence, so I had a season out of football.
“I joined Chesterfield Ladies and did trials. This got me to where I am now. It is a lot more professional here compared to previous teams I have been at.
“(Playing in the first team) is a lot more physical, but it is a great experience. I would love to continue playing football at a high standard and make a living out of it.”
