I’ve posted elsewhere in this thread, but your story is incredibly similar to mine - really well written: enjoyed reading it.

The part about the academy kids is very true. Being a uni first team player put me way ahead of them in terms of job prospects; they were so desperate to succeed but you could already see how hard being let go from a club hurt them. They still had a shit load of bravado, but you could tell it was to mask disappointment. They were mostly sound though and terrific players.

I jacked in playing really early and don’t regret or miss it at all.

It wasn’t fun enough (for what amounted to not very much pay, once I started a ‘proper’ career). Going to work on a Monday morning having been kicked about a bit soon got boring too!

Peak for me was playing in an FA Cup first round tie, as a lower league qualifying team, and thus we were on the pools coupon (which my Mum has still got somewhere).