LEIGH based goalkeeper Rees Hawkins is nervously waiting to find out whether or not he has been accepted into the Nike Academy for next season.

But whatever the outcome the 17-year-old Concord Rangers shot-stopper admits he has already enjoyed a life changing experience.

Hawkins visited Manchester City at the weekend for the conclusion of his trial and got to meet the Premier League champions' manager Manuel Pellegrini before taking to the field one last time to impress the watching scouts.

And the whirlwind 48 hours, which also included a tour of City's Etihad Stadium, has increased Hawkins' desire to become a professional footballer.

“The weekend for me is pretty much indescribable,” said Hawkins, a Belfairs College Student.

“It's the best thing that's ever happened to me in football if not my life and I would say it was border-line life changing for me too.

“Having see all that and the facilities the top players get to enjoy I want to become a professional footballer more than ever.

“And I will keep working as hard as I can to try and make that happen.”

Hawkins was one of thousands of youngsters to initially apply for the scheme through the Nike App.

But it has been a very thorough procedure for him to get this far.

“When you first applied you had to provide quite a lot of details and include your footballing CV,” said Hawkins.

“You had to prove you had what it took to be invited for the first trial because that was pretty much sink or swim.

“That's why they did they research because otherwise everyone there could've easily sunk.”

The Nike Academy is a full time, pro-level training programme based at the national football centre at St.George's Park, Burton.

The budding young players also play regular matches and Hawkins is itching to get involved.

“The coaches and everyone we've spoken to have played their cards quite close to their chests about the Academy but it's obviously a fantastic opportunity for whoever goes there,” said Hawkins.

“They recently beat Barcelona's youth 3-0 so that says a lot and of course I would love to be a part of it all.”

With that in mind, Hawkins trains five times a week.

He trains at Canvey based Concord and also at the 1GK goalkeeping courses which regularly take place at the playfootball.net centre in Prittlewell.

Adding to that, the Southend United season card holder is also an avid viewer of football and is a huge fan of the Shrimpers first choice goalkeeper Daniel Bentley.

“Out of the goalkeepers out there it's Dan Bentley who I look up to the most and we have our season cards in the South Upper so I can watch him closely and learn from him too,” said Hawkins.

“Ted Smith is an excellent goalkeeper as well and for him to be in the England squad for his age-group is outstanding.

“They're living the dream for me and, one day, I would love to get to where they are.”

And Hawkins hopes teaming up with the Nike Academy can help him achieve that ambition.

“We should find out by the end of the week and hopefully I've done enough to get in,” said the youngster.

“The game up in Manchester went well. I made a couple of decent saves and left everything I had out on the pitch.

“I really couldn't have done anymore and I just hope it was enough to get in.”