Oliver Cartledge is an 18-year-old second-year student on Derby County Community Trust’s Football and Education programme and says the experience has exceeded all expectations.

Reflecting on his two years on the programme, Oliver said: “It’s been unreal, to be honest. The amount of opportunities we’ve been given to do and the amount of experience I’ve had, it’s just life-changing, honestly.”

After two years on the programme, Oliver says there have been several standout memories, making it difficult to choose just one favourite. He said: “It’s very hard to stick it down to a single or one. Beating Mansfield was an unreal moment for me. We won 10-0 against them.

“But also, I got to play at Birmingham (City’s) Stadium as well, which is still another unreal moment.”

Among all of his achievements, Oliver says being named vice-captain of his team is the moment that has made him most proud. Reflecting on the experience, he explained: “I got to be vice-captain of my team. I’m being a bit of a guide to the first years as well, I’m quite liked around that group.

“I’m quite proud knowing that I can have that ability to basically encourage them all to do better, really.”

Like many students on the programme, Oliver also had the opportunity to play at Pride Park Stadium, the home of Derby County Football Club, an experience he describes as unforgettable. He said: “The first stadium I played in, you’re just a bit speechless. I played awful that day, but it was just a bit of a surreal moment. You never expected it two years ago that you’d get to play at Pride Park. It’s crazy.”

Oliver has ambitions of becoming a coach in the future and believes the programme has given him valuable exposure to experienced staff and a professional football environment.

 “I want to be a coach. Being around the environment where we have class coaches like we do, it gives you the opportunity to learn a lot from them and get guidance as well, which is going to help me in my career.”

Those ambitions have led him to continue his studies on one of Derby County Community Trust’s Degree Programmes: “I’m going to do the degree, which gets me to do my coaching qualifications, so that’s something I’m going to be able to do.”

“I heard about the degree and how they can help fund you with your coaching badges, and it’s something I really want to do, I want to get a pro coaching qualification, and they said that they can really help with that going forward.”

Oliver also credits coach and teacher James Culf for having a significant influence on his development. He explained: “The biggest impact, I would say, would be my coach and my teacher, James Culf. He’s been there a lot for a lot of our students, really, and he’s helped guide me. I’m not the best player in the world, but he’s helped guide me as a player to improve, definitely.”

Reflecting on his personal growth, Oliver says his confidence has increased considerably since joining the programme. Speaking on his development on the course, he said: “I think I’ve got a lot more confident. In my first year I was a bit shy, a lot of the other lads can say it, but I got a bit more confident because I had more friends and I got to know people a lot more.”

“People see that I try hard in my football and they have a bit of a respect for me.I’m not the best player but I put that effort in and that’s why I’m quite liked. That’s just helped me with my confidence and it’s helped me develop different skills as well.”

For students considering their options after receiving their GCSE results, Oliver believes the programme offers a unique opportunity. He said: “If you like football and you want to do anything in football, I think this is the perfect course for you.You get other opportunities with different courses that might offer the same thing, but I think this is the best one.”

He added: “You get to play a Pride Park, you get to have that Derby crest on you, especially if you’re a fan and you get to go to all these different away days and play all these matches, it’s really good for you as well.”