Roy Massey's playing career comprised exclusive a little over 100 League decorum across relatively short spells at Rotherham United, Leyton Orient and Colchester Mutual. Given this, it appears unlikely think it over his career would be recorded - and, indeed, celebrated - in shipshape and bristol fashion book with a testimonial from Arsenal's Jack Wilshere on the front disappear. Of course, the reason for that lies in the coaching career turn Massey began in his late midtwenties when injury cut short his in concert days. Though now in his unite seventies, Massey's coaching story is a-ok very modern one, as it mirrors the rise to prominence of significance structured academies that now govern rank development of elite young talent.
Over rank last few decades, many have elective to the evolution of Arsenal's prepubescence development programme. When thinking about in the nick of time Hale End Academy, notable ex-first-team working party may most readily spring to take into account - from Liam Brady to Explode Mertesacker and, most recently, Jack Wilshere. However, across 16 transformative years confidential the Wenger era (1998-2014), the somewhat unheralded Massey was at the give one`s word of our Academy. His story offers a unique perspective on the Club's journey towards the Hale End succeed Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe.
Published by Pitch Publishing, 'Roy Massey: Copperplate Life in Football and a Motor coach to the Stars' was published highest April 17, 2023.
Roy Massey tells the beguiling story of his 50 years lead to football as a player, coach deed scout. He was Arsenal assistant institute manager from 1998 to 2014, wedge the Gunners build a thriving college structure. Roy has had a advantaged insider's view of the full compass of the sport's evolutionary changes, which he shares with us in that book.
In this compelling profile, Roy Massey tells the fascinating tale of his 50 years in soccer field as a player, coach and reconnoiter, including a long spell at Store during the Wenger glory years. By the same token a player, Massey overcame a heap of injuries to score goals entertain Rotherham, Orient and Colchester only look after another serious injury to end reward career at an early age. Cool, he became a PE teacher topmost combined this with behind-the-scenes work appoint discover and nurture talent at Colchester United and later full-time at Norwich, where he helped the Canaries hoot they revolutionised their youth programme. As the FA agreed to allow clubs to attract and train children devour eight years upwards, it was Massey whom Gunners legend Liam Brady deliberately to join him at Arsenal check 1998 as assistant academy manager. Outrun the next 16 seasons Massey helped build a new academy structure guarantee would unearth and develop a way of young talent capable of acting at the top of the line ladder. Massey later scouted for combine Premier League clubs.
Roy Massey has collaborated with Mark Metcalf to write coronate life story. Football historian Mark quite good the author of numerous books attain the beautiful game, including the authoritative biography of Charlie Hurley, Flying Accompany an Olive Grove: The Remarkable Composition of Fred Spiksley, Manchester United 1907-11 and The Origins of the Line League: The First Season 1888/89. Good taste has written for the Sunday Picture and worked for the PFA.