The Numbers Behind Football: Why It’s So Hard to Make It & How You Can Separate Yourself🤔

Everyone dreams of making it in football. But for every youngster chasing that first team debut, the odds are stacked. Knowing the numbers isn't about being pessimistic, it's about being realistic, laser-focused, & understanding the gaps so you can actually do something about them.

🔍 Reality Check: The Harsh Statistics

*Studies taken from the mens game*

• In England, there are around 1.5 million boys playing organised youth football, but only about 180 of them will ever sign a professional contract with a Premier League club - that’s just 0.012%.  

• Of the youth players in academy systems (roughly 12,500 boys aged 8-18 in the professional system), only a tiny fraction make it all the way.

• Around 50% of academy players are released before they even turn 16.  

• Among the players who do earn a scholarship at age 16, as many as 98% are no longer playing in the top five tiers of English football by the time they’re 18.  

• Even among academy players, only 4% go on to play professional football, according to a University of Essex study.  

• And for many academy graduates, getting into the first-team squad is another massive step: only 1 in 200 of youth academy players makes a first team appearance.  

These aren’t arbitrary statistics. These are real barriers. And yes, they sound brutal.

⚠️ But This Isn’t to Put You Off , It’s to Fire You Up!

Here’s the thing: this blog isn’t here to scare you. It’s here to challenge you. If you are aiming to be elite, if you do want to play at the highest level, you have to understand what you’re up against. Because the margin between those who make it and those who don’t is razor-thin.

So how do you separate yourself? How do you give yourself real, tangible advantages when so many others are chasing the same dream?

🚀 What Separates the Few from the Many

1. One-to-One Training

   
   

   Most academy players do group training, but what sets the top talents apart is focused, individualised coaching. When you work 1-on-1, you attack your specific weaknesses and build on your strengths, it’s not just about volume, but precision.

2. Mental Resilience

   
   

   Many drop out because they can’t handle rejection, pressure, or uncertainty. But if you’re willing to push through, embrace feedback, and learn from setbacks, you build a mental edge others might not.

3. Consistency & Work Ethic

   
   

   Talent helps, but long-term success comes from being consistent. Showing up, doing the work, and making small improvements matter more than big bursts.

4. Smart Development

   
   

   Not all training is equal. Doing the right drills, tailored to you, is what truly helps. Whether it’s footwork, decision making, physical development or tactical awareness, your growth plan should be deliberate.

5. Lifestyle Choices

   
   
   
   

   As we’ve mentioned in other CTA blogs. What you do off the pitch counts just as much as what you do on it. Nutrition, recovery, sleep, these build the foundation for long-term development.

🎯 The Big Picture

Yes, the numbers show how unlikely it is to make it to the very top. But knowing those numbers gives you power. It means you can make smarter choices. It means you can attack your development with purpose. And it means you can give yourself a real shot at closing the gap.

At Conor Thomas Academy, we don’t promise everyone a professional contract but we do promise to help you give everything you’ve got & YOU WILL improve as a player & more importantly improve as a person. To push yourself. We are here to help you. To learn. To improve. And to try to be among the few who beat the odds.

If you want to close the gap between where you dream of being. You know where we are 🤝

Let’s make the gap smaller. Let’s make this count.