Young Gun: Timi Davies

Throughout the season, we catch up with our young Gunners in the matchday programme to find out more about their route to our academy. This week, Timi Davies discusses being scouted by Manchester City, earning a professional deal at Arsenal and training with the first team.

I was born in Hackney, specifically in Homerton, but most of my years after were spent in Bromley. During my childhood, I didn't have any particular sporting role models or favourite teams in football because I didn’t watch it while growing up, it was just a sport I was good at. However, as I started watching it more regularly, Neymar caught my attention with his incredible skills and amazing goals. Every time he got the goal, I’d always expect him to do something crazy!

I only started playing football around the age of 10, and it was purely for enjoyment. I played with my friend and he saw that I was pretty good so he invited me to join his team, Foots Cray Lions, in Sidcup. I played as a striker for about two or three seasons, when I got interest from Glebe FC, a Kent League club, when I was 13 years old. 

From there, my football involvement expanded, I started playing for Bromley District, Kent County, Glebe, and my school team at Bishop Justus. Despite the heavy schedule, I relished every moment on the field. While I was playing in a cup final for Glebe, my performance caught the eye of scouts from Manchester City. 

They approached my mother and offered me a trial in the summer of 2018. Just before that, I went on trial at Chelsea and I had the chance to join them. But, when it came down to choosing, I opted for Man City, as I was excited by the prospect of starting fresh in a new city with new opportunities.

Adjusting to the new environment in the north-west was challenging at first, considering that I was so young at the time, but having my mother come to Manchester with me made the transition smoother. 

After spending around two and a half years at Man City, the time came for scholarship decisions, and I wasn't offered one by the club. I was disappointed at first, but there were other clubs, notably Arsenal, who showed interest. 

Returning to London for the trial felt like coming full circle, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. After a few sessions, I received the good news of my signing from Lee Heron and I was ecstatic. Joining Arsenal on a scholarship and then earning my professional deal was a dream come true, especially considering that I started playing football later than most people do. 

One of the standout moments was making my under-21s debut against Bromley and training with the first team. Before training with them, I was nervous because you watch these guys on TV and training with them is a real pinch-me moment. But it was a great experience and a good wake-up call as to the level of dedication and skill required to succeed at the highest level.

"I'm aiming to return stronger and more determined than ever"

Before each game, I have my rituals - from playing music in the changing room to putting on all my kit in a timely order. For example, I put my left sock on then right sock and likewise with my boots. 

Unfortunately, injuries have been a part of my journey, especially challenging mentally as I hadn't experienced them before. Dealing with multiple injuries, including an ACL injury, has been tough, but the support network at Arsenal has been key in my recovery journey. I'm aiming to return stronger and more determined than ever, with my sights set on making a comeback before the end of the season and thriving in the seasons to come.

This interview appeared in the Arsenal v Liverpool matchday programme, which you can purchase online now.