Not many players can say they have made their senior debut against the superstars of Manchester City and received a first international call-up within the space of a fortnight – but Blackburn Rovers’ Connor Mahoney is one man who is enjoying a fairytale January.
The 16-year-old joined up with the England U17 squad for the first time on Tuesday evening after being included on the bench for Rovers’ Championship match at Barnsley.
The forward has enjoyed a dramatic rise to the international scene – and this comes after he admits to “falling out of love” with the game.
After taking part in his first training season with the Young Lions on Wednesday morning, Mahoney told TheFA.com: “I was at Burnley when I was younger but I wasn’t really enjoying football at that time so I went back to grassroots to try and get that enjoyment back. I started playing on a Sunday and really got my spirit back after scoring a few goals.
Mahoney in action for Accrington
“I then went to Accrington Stanley when I was 14, and managed to break into their first-team squad and played a few games – then I made the move to Blackburn Rovers.”
Mahoney made a total of seven appearances for Stanley, including one start, before his “dream move” materialised.
“It was good at Accrington to ease my way in with the big boys,” explained Mahoney. “I had heard that Blackburn were watching me and they’d seen me scoring a few goals in The FA Youth Cup and I’d set-up a few as well.
“Once they came in for me it was a move I couldn’t really turn down, I’m a big Rovers fan – I live about five minutes from the stadium, so it was a massive thing for me and my family.”
Having trained with the first-team squad and been included on the bench for their match with Leeds United earlier in the season, Mahoney’s big moment finally arrived as Rovers travelled to the Etihad to face Manchester City in an FA Cup replay a fortnight ago.
“I was trying to catch the manager’s attention and then he just called me over and said ‘Get your shin pads on and get ready”
Connor Mahoney
Mahoney says: “The longer the game went on I was praying I’d get on, and I was along the touchline warming-up next to the likes of Pablo Zabaleta for about 10 minutes.
“I was trying to catch the manager’s attention and then he just called me over and said ‘Get your shin pads on and get ready, you are going on’.
“I just tried to focus on my game and how I was going to play when I got on – but when I did it was the fastest five minutes of my life!
“I can still remember everything about it, my first touch, first run and first cross. What an experience to play against some of the best players in the world.”
Having had a taste of the big time already, Mahoney is looking to push on even further and cement a place in John Peacock’s side ahead of the Elite Round qualifiers in Czech Republic in March – and despite only being with the squad less than 24 hours he says he already feels at home.
“I found out yesterday morning that I was coming to meet up with the squad. I was initially told that I had to stay with my club and I’d be with the first-team for the game with Barnsley.
“I was a bit down about missing out with England, but then Gary Bowyer told me that after the match I could go and join up with the squad at St. George’s Park and I was delighted and pleased to have the opportunity.
“It will be a great experience for me. I’ve never really travelled around the world and played other international teams, so it will be great to see what sort of level I’m at against others in different countries and test myself against some of the best.
“It’s not really sunk in yet – but I’m sure if I get out there on the pitch that’s when it will hit me”
Connor Mahoney
“The lads have been really welcoming and I knew some of them through playing against them already. They are a great set of lads and some quality players and I’m looking forward to gelling with them.”
And after an unforgettable start to the year, Mahoney is hoping to add one more memory before the month of January is out.
He added: “I didn’t expect any of this with my England call-up. For me to possibly make my England debut against Belgium and hopefully get a goal or create one, it would really cap off a great start to 2014.
“It’s not really sunk in yet – but I’m sure if I get out there on the pitch that’s when it will hit me.
“I just want to put a good shift in if I get the chance and work on cementing a permanent spot within the England squad and travel with them to play other top quality nations and against the best young players in the world.”
