TALENTED young footballer Billy Colton's American Dream has finally been realised.
The 19-year-old was originally due to begin a £15,000-a-year scholarship to play football at Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pennsylvania last September.
However, despite the former Chalvedon Sixth Form College student earning 10 GCSEs at A-C grade, his choice of an applied science course scuppered his plans as the it was not considered to be vocational by the American education authorities.
Undetered, Billy - who has represented Billericay Town - took special classes in order to pass the right' science exam at a local university.
Having successfully completed the course, Billy left for the United States last week, but not before saying goodbye to his friends at a special party at his family home in Rectory Road, Pitsea.
There, he will form an important part of the Mercyhurst Lakers' assault on the All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title.
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