It's at this time of year, the end of the football season, when countless young players up and down the country are told that their dream of becoming a professional footballer won't turn into reality.
But if they're anything like sporting entrepreneurs James Wren and Jack Dyer, they've still got a bright future ahead of them. The duo founded Freetrain, a sports apparel brand that's made waves in the training world over the past few years thanks to their trademark running vest, purpose built for handily holding a mobile phone.
Wren, a goalkeeper, spent time in Manchester United's famous youth setup as a teenager, while midfielder Dyer was at Aston Villa until he was 18. The two crossed paths at Burton Albion more than a decade ago and a friendship was forged during journeys up and down the A38. The pair began their business adventure together in 2015 upon realising that full-time football wasn't an option.
"Myself and Jack met playing for Burton together. We kind of parted ways there and went to a few different football clubs," Wren, 28, exclusively told Mirror Football . "We ended up circling back at Nuneaton Town. It came to a time where we had to think outside the box and the football world, and we always wanted to create a business.
"We had numerous ideas; renovating houses, we even came up with a product about a portable blender. We were actually pursuing an app at the time and, with how expensive apps are, we were thinking we needed to create something to supplement that. We were running in pre-season and the vest idea just sort of spawned really. Then we just took it from there and had a gamble."
Starting with a £1,500 grant from the PFA while balancing 9-5 sales jobs, Wren and Dyer's creation has helped them earn over £8million in revenue. They launched a brand new range of apparel on Thursday, shipping around the globe to countries including to the United States and Australia.
Their gamble involved Dyer's grandma, who in 2017 made the first prototype of the signature vest - from a t-shirt. "Somehow she did," Dyer, 30, laughed. "We took it round to her's with the idea and she was a seamstress, so we got it out on the table and came up with the original shape and stuff.
"We realised very quickly that it was so far from a product that could be sold, so we changed things and came up with new variations and the process came to where we are today which has been a hell of a journey.
"It took a long while to get from that stage to where we could sell something to the public, half of the story was figuring out how to get a product to a point where we could sell it. There were ups and downs everyone day and at some points, we didn't think we could get it over the line, but we got there."
While Covid-19 took its toll on their attempts to grow as a business, United ace Paul Pogba and Liverpool rock Virgil van Dijk were spotted wearing the vests during lockdown. Coronation Street actor Colson Smith joined the Premier League stars while sharing his weight-loss journey, giving the boys a big boost on social media.
"Lockdown had it pros and cons for us," Wren, who came close to crossing paths with Pogba in the Red Devils' academy, explained. "Obviously everyone was out running so we got a lot of exposure in that sense, but then to kind of expand the business and grow, that's where it was a hinderance for us. But that's always been our journey; a bit of a slow start to get to the starting line, then once we get there we back ourselves."
Dyer, who was forced to retire from non-league football seven years ago with an ankle injury, added: "Getting the so-called celebrities was amazing and the footballers were fantastic. We managed to get the vest to certain groups and obviously in lockdown, everyone was doing the 5k challenge. Once one footballer was in it, their teammates were and it snowballed.
"Randomly, one day, we got Pogba in it and as football fans who've lived and breathed the game, it was incredible. [Corrie star Smith] was the same, everyone started running in lockdown and luckily for us, we had a product that helped runners so it was fantastic really."
While it's all rosy for the two nowadays, Wren and Jack still are focused on blazing a trail for those stepping out of football with no immediate prospects. Dyer hopes that Freetrain can act as a shining light for any teenager searching for a new path, affirming: "People probably need examples and things to follow.
"I think we're a good example now to kids dropping out to potentially go into business. Make the most of opportunities that are out there. We contacted the PFA and just asked people for help, advice and what we could do.
"We got the grant and started our coaching school which funded the business, and I think there're other examples of that around. You just have to be open to look for those examples and realise that it's not just given to you, you've got to go and work it for yourself."
Wren also offered some advice for those unfortunate enough to find themselves released from an academy and finishing school. "I think the big thing is to get those guys to look inwards," he stressed. "I think you come out of professional football to this big, wide world and you think, 'What can I do next?'
"But the things you've learned and the discipline that's been installed in you playing football really does set you up for life. And you might not have necessarily gone to University or been in academics but the skills that you've learned in football, they give you things way before anyone who comes out of Uni at 21 or 22.
"I think it's just looking inside yourself and realising you've got the tools to make yourself a success, even if that is outside of football. It really isn't the end, coming out football. Things like non-league are fantastic and they're a great escape, mentally, from going into work and a new environment. It's a real community and it's a network that we've been able to use. There're sacrifices but there's also things given back to you."
But it's not just footballers that Freetrain are focussed on helping out, with plenty of sportspeople loving their products staple vest. "The great thing about the brand and the product is that we want to be for everyone; running, fitness, gym," Dyer went on to say, revelling in Thursday's new release.
" Boxing has been a massive plus for us, the likes of Conor Benn and Joseph Parker wearing the product. The name itself relates to everyone having the freedom to train and that was the reason behind it."
Wren, ambitious for the future of Freetrain, rounded off by declaring: "It's a perfect product for anyone who does a little bit of everything. Boxers have really gravitated to it and it's been really interesting that people from all backgrounds, shapes and sizes from different sports have bought into the brand.
"We've got aims of getting to the top with this company, we look at ourselves as a duo and think we're quite strong. We've got a good foundation and the biggest thing for us is really making an imprint in the UK over the next year or two in sports apparel. And then beyond that, we think the sky's the limit. If we can take our apparel worldwide, we'll be quite happy!"
Freetrain have recently launched their first fitness wear range, The Emergence. You can view the range here: freetrain.co.uk.
