Playing in the Premier League is a dream for every football fanatic as a youth, but the reality is that even making it at non-league level is a difficult enough task.
Jed Abbey looked on the perfect route to fulfilling his dream when he was coming through the ranks at Wolves. He joined the West Midlands outfit as a six-year-old, and had only ever played for his boyhood club, featuring in every age group apart from the Under-23s.
However, the 6"4 midfielder was dealt a major blow back in 2020 when he was told the crushing news that he was going to be released from the club. Abbey took a year out of the game, before signing for National League North outfit Telford United last summer.
That move didn't work out but he has since managed to find his feet at Alvechurch, who play in the seventh tier of English football, and he has been closely studying some of the best midfielders in a bid to force his way back to the top flight.
Speaking to Mirror Football, he said: "I do watch a lot of players and I liken myself to Declan Rice. I like the way he gets on the ball, the confidence, the way he drives with the ball - something I need to improve with.
"Also Frank Lampard and the way he makes late runs into the box, he's someone I do study a lot. With my physical presence, someone like Patrick Viera or Paul Pogba, the way they can use their bodies.
"I wouldn't say I have one specific midfielder but I do try and take aspects from all of them. For my passing, I would say someone like Sergio Busquets, who tries to break the lines with his passing."
Abbey's Alvechurch are on the verge of creating another piece of FA Cup history when they face League One side Cheltenham Town in the First Round on Saturday. The Birmingham-based side are the lowest-ranked side left in the competition but will be hoping to spring an upset against a team that lie 96 places above them in the English football pyramid.
The 20-year-old has played an integral role in Alvechurch's incredible run in the competition, with Abbey scoring in their 3-2 win over Worksop Town in the Fourth Qualifying Round. Despite the enormous gap between the two teams, Abbey has revealed that 'the Church' are desperate to win the game.
He added: "It’s a special opportunity for the club, especially a village club to get a tie like League One Cheltenham, it's going to be a great day for us, and hopefully we can put our mark out there and show the rest of the country who we are.
"It’s a big opportunity because a lot of our games, attendances are about 200 to 300 people but the FA Cup grows quickly, ITV, BBC come to training, and it’s a big thing to showcase to people around the world who we are because the league isn’t as noticed as the FA Cup.
"It could be an exciting day, we are all determined to not just beat them, but to show everyone how we can play and how we can beat them as well. Hopefully it will be a very good day and it will be another historic day for Alvechurch."
With eight goals to his name so far this season, Abbey is relishing in his role for Alvechurch and the midfielder possesses a high level of energy, with quality at both ends of the pitch to match his work-rate. Having failed to make his mark at Wolves, Abbey is eager to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Michail Antonio and Tyrone Mings, who have worked their way back up to the top-flight after being released as teenagers.
"It’s a great opportunity personally, as it’ll be the first time since I dropped out of the pro-game to play against a team like Cheltenham, at their home stadium," a motivated Abbey continued. "It’s a great opportunity for other players as well, in the Alvechurch team that are in a similar situation to be able to put their mark on the game and show everyone what we’re about.
"Every game I play I've just got to keep taking my opportunity, keep playing well, keep getting goals and assists and hopefully get my name out there, hopefully I’ll be the next name on that ladder.
"The release from Wolves in the professional game to now is a big difference, it’s more physical, it’s more tactical and it’s making me getting used to every aspect of my game. Whereas, league football is a lot more technical but people in non-league are playing for mortgages, they work 9-5 jobs, it’s a big difference."
Although the Church have been impressive in the cup competitions, their league form has taken a dip in the process. Ian Rowe's men currently sit inside the relegation zone, having won just four times in 11 games. They also reached the next round of the FA Cup with an excellent win over Nuneaton last Saturday.
"Ultimately the FA Cup run won't last forever, so we've got to take all the confidence and all the hype being caused from this run into the league," Abbey said. "We're just inside the relegation zone, it has been a bit stop-start, we've got to take the belief into the league. But this might be the first and the last time a club like Alvechurch reach the first round proper, we've got to make sure the day can't go to waste."
