The mannequins stood no chance. After a two-hour drive from Wiltshire, Jeremy Newton would arrive at Axe Valley Academy in Devon on Friday afternoons, unload his car and furnish the school’s 3G pitch for a one‑on‑one session. The Southampton academy coach would build in-game scenarios using props: cones, dummy opponents to recreate a back four or three‑man wall. An iPad would record the next hour, providing the opportunity to review footage, hone details. Once school was out, a 14‑year‑old at the start of his GCSEs would get to work on his fledgling career.
It is the reason why Tyler Dibling’s signed No 7 shirt, from England Under-16s duty, greets visitors in the school’s reception in Axminster. There has long been chatter about Dibling’s talent. At 15 he played for Southampton Under‑21s and a couple of months after turning 16 he scored a hat‑trick of near-identical goals against Newcastle Under-21s at St James’ Park which catapulted him on to the radar of the elite, and into public consciousness. Gary Lineker posted the eyes emoji when sharing the viral clip of Dibling’s goals from the edge of the D.
