Teenage football sensation signs for Premiership side, Teesdale Mercury

A TEENAGE footballing sensation will be flying the flag for Teesdale in the Premiership next month after signing for Stoke City. 

Less than a fortnight after finishing his GCSEs, 16-year-old centre back Jordan Galloway has packed up his kit bag and travelled down to the club to take the first steps towards a career as a professional footballer. 

Jordan moved from Essex to Teesdale six years ago and after just one term at Gainford Primary School, he was spotted by a Middlesbrough FC talent scout. 

He had thought the move to the rural North East would mean an end to his budding career, after being spotted by Tottenham Hotspur, Southend and Colchester United. 

He said: “I’d been going to the Centre of Excellence at Tottenham and I thought ‘that’s it, it’s over for me’ but within two or three months I was at Middlesbrough Academy. I couldn’t believe my luck.”

Although he was released by Middlesbrough after six years, it was only days before the sporting teenager was contacted by 13 other clubs asking him to go for trials. 

After stints at Sunderland, Leicester and Leeds he got a call from Steve Martin at Stoke City and within minutes, he said he knew it was the club for him. 

He said: “I played well for Stoke, we won 6-1. I got the best feeling at there and I could tell it was the club for me. I got a good vibe there.”

Although he is excited by the move, Jordan said he would miss his mum, Eve, dad Tony and younger sister Olivia, who he lives with at Burnthouses, near Butterknowle. 

He said: “Moving away at 16 is 

a big jump for me. Moving away 

from my family and friends, it was a hard decision but it’s only two hours away on the train and it will be worth it.”

Mrs Galloway said: “We are as proud as punch and I know they will take good care of him at Stoke. When he was at Middlesbrough they were so good and you get the same feeling here.”

Former England basketball player Mr Galloway said: “As far as him leaving home we feel the same as 

Jordan – we hadn’t expected it so young but it’s a chance to realise his dream and of course, we’ll all go down and see him as much as possible.”

And sister Olivia, who has also made her mark as a junior footballer after being spotted by another Middlesbrough talent scout, will miss her big brother. 

Mr Galloway said: “For Olivia it’s going to be really hard, and she’s more than proud of him. On one hand she’s so excited and on the other she’s really nervous and is going to miss him so much.”

The former Darlington All Stars player – who will be known as Jordie in his new home because several other players have the same first name – will live with the parents of 18-year-old Louis Moult, a Stoke City first team player. 

Ten days after arriving in his new home Jordan will be off to a training camp in Valencia and although he’s excited, he is a little bit concerned about the day the team fly out – the same day as the World Cup final. 

Jordan, who will be playing his first season game on August, 4, said: “I don’t mind that much but I hope I do get the chance to watch the final but I don’t mind too much as I get to go to Valencia.”

As well as being a star player, Jordan’s attributes also won him friends at Staindrop School where he was a pupil until two weeks ago. 

Nominated in the school’s yearbook as student most likely to become a millionaire, most sporty pupil and most fancied boy – not bad credentials for an up-and-coming football star.

And while he has been dedicated to honing his skills on the pitch, he has also continued with his studies off the pitch. 

Although he is still waiting for his GCSE results, good grades are expected. The levelheaded teenager said: “On the short term, studying might be inconvenient but in the long term, I’m glad I’ve stuck in. 

“If things don’t work out, if I’m injured or just not good enough, I have something to fall back on and I’ll be studying a BTEC while I’m at the academy.”

Both Jordan and his family say the secret to his success, as well as having a natural aptitude for all sports – at one point having to choose football over cricket – is his dedication. 

Jordan, a Newcastle supporter, said: “You’ve got to stick with it, I love to play football and up to this age it’s been really enjoyable playing but you have to do what you can to play. 

“My dream, like anyone, is to make it in what I do and to get to the first team but you’ve also got to be realistic and set yourself achievable goals. 

“For now I want to play well and keep improving and if I do that I’ll be very happy.”