Keiron Proctor’s journey through football has been one of adversity and triumph, and there is still plenty of time for the youngster to do whatever he wants in the game.
The 20-year-old forward was a part of the 2014 Welsh Victory Shield winning squad that featured the likes of Ethan Ampadu and Tyler Roberts, all being coached by Osian Roberts.
It was a Wales U16’s squad that won the tournament outright for the first time since 1948.
And whilst Proctor’s journey to the tournament was unexpected, the impact the event had and the coaching of Roberts clearly made an impact.
“I was playing with Wales from around the age of 12, and in that season in particular I was doing really well at Cardiff, playing regularly and enjoying my football,” Proctor said.
“We got called into a Wales game up in the box and there was a lot of players there, but I didn’t expect anything from it.
“After the game they announced that every player in the room was selected for the Victory Shield, but that age group was a year older than mine.
“I was over the moon and there were no words to describe how I felt. It was a privilege to work with Osian Roberts, as a coach he was probably the best I’ve ever worked with.
“The detail to the game, he just knows every little thing about football and helps you understand it more.
“I think before then I was constantly playing football, but I never learned anything about it, going into that set-up makes you see the bigger picture and you look at things in a completely different way, it’s all drilled on doing the basics well.
“When I was at Cardiff, I was just beating players, playing little 1-2’s and things like that but when I went to Wales it was about keeping the ball, being patient and then when you have the chance go and hurt the opposition.”
From success to adversity
Whilst success with Wales was certainly a highlight, adversity lay ahead for the young forward.
A torn meniscus whilst playing in Cardiff City’s academy led to Proctor being eventually released by his hometown club, an event that even he admits at first broke him.
“I was coming up to my 12th year at Cardiff, I think I was there from the age of six in the prep squad and being released was a complete shock to be honest,” Proctor continued.
“It was around the December time during my second year of scholarship. I had pretty much just come back from injury, I wouldn’t even say I was match fit.
“I was running and playing maybe 30 minutes here or there in training for about two months.
“We had a running session and after it they called me in and kind of said we can’t offer you a professional contract.
“We’re happy for you to go and look elsewhere and to be honest I broke down in tears because it’s my home club.
“I’d grew up at that club and didn’t go anywhere else, playing there for so many years, for it all to be crushed in about a two-minute meeting literally broke me.
“I didn’t want to play football again after that. I kind of went into a shell and didn’t know where to play.
“It was hard, but it happens, it’s football. It’s the toughest job to get into in the world but I’ve had plenty of setbacks now and it’s all about the comebacks I suppose.
“My agent at the time got me trials at Forest Green, Derby and Sunderland and I thoroughly enjoyed those trials but it just didn’t feel the same.
“It wasn’t home and to be honest I was still 17 so going to those places, I struggled quite a bit being from home all the time and I got a bit homesick.
“Obviously, I still love the club and if I was to have another chance I would 100% take it but I was just a bit gutted with how it all came to an end.”
Reflecting and looking to the future
And whilst the adversity has made him stronger now than ever-before, looking back at his time within the Welsh set-up is certainly a fond memory for Proctor.
After a stint at Taffs Well and playing in Australia, the 20-year-old still has a love for his hometown club and appreciates all the talent he has played with in years gone by.
“In 2014, the best moment would be beating England. It was nice to travel with the squad and play three games altogether,” Proctor said, reminiscing.
“When the goal went in against England to beat them 1-0, it was a massive achievement because the England squad was absolutely unbelievable. The players they had, no-one ever thought we’d go on to win that game.
“I got to play with the likes of Ben Woodburn, Tyler Roberts and I think Ethan Ampadu was my age, but he played in the year above as well.
“It was just an unbelievable tournament and it was so nerve-wracking playing a year up, but then coming to actually win it after so many years was a massive achievement for myself and the whole of Wales.
“The player I looked up to the most because he was kind of in a similar position was Tyler Roberts and the whole of the Welsh FA absolutely loved him, every player loved him, and he was excelling at that point.
“You have players like Ben Woodburn and Robbie Burton who are unbelievable players as well but for me it was probably him.
“I think he could go far if he keeps playing regularly and proving his point, he played well last week and he’s getting a chance now, which is nice.
“The player I think will go the furthest and have the best career would probably be Rabbi Matondo and he’s actually one of my best-mates, but he wasn’t in the tournament that year because I think he had an injury.
“He then played the following Victory Shield for our own age and he absolutely tore the tournament apart.”
With plenty of time ahead of him, Proctor knows his future career lies in football despite his setbacks, with a chance at coaching firmly in his mind if playing doesn’t go as planned.
With new opportunities laid out ahead, the game he loves will always be a part of his life.
Proctor added, “I’m not coming out of football, whether I make it into the full-time game and go on to be a professional or not.
“I’m always going to coach and I want to get all my licenses and improve and make it to the highest level I possibly can because the only thing I know is football.
“I literally do not know anything else, so that will always be in my heart to either play or coach.”
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