The incredible story of how a DJ helped launch Albert Adomah’s career – EXCLUSIVE

ALBERT ADOMAH is among the rare breed of players to have risen from non-league football to the professional ranks.
The 30-year-old might not have reached the same heights as Jamie Vardy but he’s carved out a career as one of the Championship’s top wingers.

He was discovered by Harrow Borough in 2006 but impressive performances in the Isthmian League earned him a switch to League Two side Barnet before climbing further up the pyramid with Bristol City and Middlesbrough.

Adomah now turns out for Aston Villa – one of English football’s biggest teams – after a £5million transfer in 2016.

But it could have been a different story had a DJ not pestered former Harrow Borough boss David Howell about signing him.

Howell told Express Sport: “I lived in Hammersmith and Albert lived in Askew Road in Shepherds Bush, which is just around the corner.

“I used to do events managements and I had a bar that I used to manage in Covent Garden called The Spot, which later became The Jewel. I used to DJ and book other DJs and one of the DJs I had said, ‘Dave, I’ve got this player for you, he’s young, he’s local’. I used to always say, ‘Just give them my number’.

“If they call me it shows they’re interested and keen. They’ve got to do it all themselves. Don’t give me any contact details for him, if he’s serious and he wants to be a footballer, he’ll get in touch with me.

“The first time he trained with the youth team on the Monday, played on the Wednesday and on Thursday I had him training with the first team.
“When he played for the youth team I went to watch the game and told the manager to take him off after 20 minutes. I’d seen enough and I knew he had potential.

“The fact that he lived round the corner from me en route, I used to pick him up and drop him off after training and matches. It was good and bad for him because he used to get an earful all the way in the car. I think he was relieved when he finally got home and I’d open the door and let him out.

“The lads started calling him Son of Howellsy. Everyone was going home or drinking but when I left he had to leave or if I was staying late he had to sit in the bar and wait.

“In the end I hitched him up with one of the lads that also travelled through that way rather than coming with me, out of his own interest really.”

Adomah took a while to get his fitness up to speed but Howell knew that he had a gem on his hands.

However, it quickly became clear that he was destined for bigger things so Howell did his best to help him turn professional.
“I started playing him in the first team but he wouldn’t last longer than an hour,” he said. “After 15 minutes of the second half I’d take him off, his socks would be down round his ankles, he was very slight. It was something completely new to his body.




“It took him a little while – not long, just a few games – but he was getting fitter, getting stronger and lasting a bit longer.

“Always I was doing it to protect him and making sure when he’d come off he’d given everything.

“He became an integral part of our side and he was obviously good enough to move on. I’m from this old school where if someone’s good enough, we do our best to help him move on. I’m not keeping him to make me or my team look good at the detriment to the player’s ambitions. The club knew that and were happy to have had Albert for the time that we had him.

“I thought I better get someone who would look after him. I knew an agent through my own contacts in event management that I thought would be good for Albert and I said to him, ‘Look, I want you to look after him’. He said, ‘Alright, where can he play, what level?’. I said, ‘Premiership’. I wouldn’t push a player unless I thought he had something.

“He didn’t even see the player and took me on my word and he got him a move to Barnet.”

Adomah was 18-years-old when he joined Harrow Borough and Howell is pleased with the role he played on and off the pitch in his life.

“About two weeks ago I got a call from his partner and they were doing a surprise 30th birthday party for him,” he said.

“He had people there that were part of his footballing journey.

“He’d introduce them all to me and say, ‘If it wasn’t for this person…’ and I was like, ‘Albert, stop this please, mate.’

“I was like his mentor, I did take him on. I did tell him it’s not just about football, it’s how you conduct yourself. It was almost like a life experience with Albert, trying to make sure he’s on the right road.

“If you go to any of his former clubs and ask about Albert, you would get the same opinion across the board – what a lovely fella.”
Adomah has been in excellent form for Villa this term, scoring 11 goals in 20 appearances.

Steve Bruce’s side are fifth in the Championship table and are dreaming of a return to the top flight.

Adomah had a brief crack at the Premier League with Middlesbrough last season and Howell believes he deserves another shot.

Asked if Adomah could still cut it at the top level, he replied: “I keep telling people that until I’m blue in the face.

“The reason he’s got tagged with the Championship label is because he’s spent so much time in the Championship. He’s done it all in the Championship.

“He has the ability to play in the Premier League, no doubt about it.

“The thing about Albert is growing up he had the natural raw ability – he had to learn when to take someone on, when to cross, when to keep position, when to pass and all that kind of stuff. He’s learnt all that in the Championship.

“The experience that he has now will help Villa to get promotion. If they do manage it then it’s down to Steve Bruce but I think that he can definitely play in the Premier League.”

Source:www.express.co.uk