How do Southampton scout players? I went to find out ...0

The game is about to kick off, the teams lined up in formation, and we have already hit a snag.

Chris Robinson, Southampton’s head of academy recruitment, has agreed to let me tag along while he scouts an 18-year-old left-back at a non-league game.

But as we sit in the tiny, sheltered stand at Test Park, in Southampton, I realise the problem. The kid isn’t starting. “That’s scouting life,” Robinson says. “It’s very accurate!”

He’s come to watch Millbrook v Hamworthy Recreation to see Bobby Gorman.

At the start of the season, Southampton prioritised finding a left-back for the under-21s. They have been trailing several and Gorman, who recently turned 18, was recommended by a local scout in December. The scout observed him once more a few weeks ago and told Robinson he was worth a look.

Former Cheltenham Town manager Robinson reads The Non-League Paper every Sunday, hunting for reports of young players, and saw Millbrook were playing at home. He watches around eight games a week and added this to his diary.

We meet in the car park and, after initially being asked if we’re officials, enter through a narrow wooden hut, pay £6 for tickets and take our seats, with plenty of time for a few lessons in scouting basics.

Robinson likes to get to games early to see the players warm up. You can learn a lot about a footballer by the way they prepare, he says. How seriously they take it, interactions with team-mates, their technique, passing, shooting.

But scouts have to come prepared, too. Robinson says that he has a wardrobe for all weather conditions in the boot of his Kia – from shorts to thick winter coats.

Today, he’s wearing a long, thick coat. The sun sinks, the floodlights turn on, the temperature plummets.

First, and perhaps most importantly, Robinson has to identify Gorman. At this level, it isn’t a case of loading formations on the BBC Sport app or finding headshots on Google. A few websites, social media and match programmes can help. But information is scant.

Robinson finds the Millbrook colours on their Wikipedia page. He has been told Gorman has “fair hair” and is slim. He is wearing the No 3 shirt and has yellow boots. The referee blows the whistle and the Millbrook left-back is dark haired. And not 18.

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I wonder if this whole idea has been a disaster. But, Robinson says, the local scout had also said to keep an eye out for Mikey O’Connell, a teenage central midfielder.

The pair have started more games than any other Millbrook player this season. We check. He, too, is on the bench.

Really, at this level, Premier League scouts are looking for teenagers. It’s such a leap from non-league to the Premier League that players over a certain age will likely never make it. Not always: Jamie Vardy was a non-league veteran before playing in the Premier League at 27 and winning the title. But it’s rare.

Simply playing at this level as a teenager is an immediate flag for scouts.

Thankfully, Gorman will come on later – but in the meantime Robinson’s eye is caught by Millbrook’s No 14, playing off the striker. By sight he fits the age profile.

“All the best scouts can tell the best and worst player on the pitch in five minutes,” he says. “It’s all the buggers in between that are the problem!”

For Robinson, one of the most intriguing elements of the job is going to a game for one player and finding another. He whips out a well-worn A5 red notebook and black rollerball pen and scribbles away. “I have hundreds of these at home in various sizes,” he says.

Where possible, he prefers to sit in a stand – ideally raised – because it’s easier to write. At times, when he isn’t sure who a player is, he will stand behind the dugouts to listen to the coaches shout players’ names.

What stands out about No 14? “He’s got a great frame, mobile, moves well, good touch, he’s taking up good positions.

“You’re looking for translatable things. Pace. Finishing. If someone is really quick, it will translate.”

The 14 makes a dart into the box at a free-kick and almost scores. “He was quick off the mark but should’ve finished.”

Eighty per cent of goals are scored from the “golden area”, Robinson says. The rectangle from the six-yard box to in line with the penalty area.

The best finishers will be in that area when the ball comes in. “Most goals at the top level are one-touch finishes.”

Robinson is impressed with the player’s instinct to drop back and mark the opposition defensive midfielder when Millbrook don’t have the ball.

And suddenly, he has a chance: dribbling at speed, on the break, there’s a gap between the centre-backs, one ripe for bursting through. He cuts back, passes across, the attack breaks down.

“The centre-backs aren’t too quick, but he didn’t believe he had the pace. Jamie Vardy would’ve hit the ball through and backed himself to beat the defender.”

The 14 fades from the game and Robinson’s interest cools. The notepad retreats into his breast pocket.

At half-time the crowd of 50-odd head to the bar for hot drinks to warm cold hands while we watch Gorman warm up with shooting drills. He strikes the ball noticeably well.

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Millbrook are 2-0 down at half-time and need to change something. But Gorman is left on the bench. Instead, O’Connell comes on. Right central midfield.

Robinson’s notepad is out again. “I try to balance between taking notes and watching the game. You don’t get replays at this level.”

What does he make of O’Connell? “He’s active, dynamic, getting into tackles, trying to get things going for the team, not watching the game. It’s good.”

The player has decent moments. “He needs to be a little tighter on his touch. He has good energy, though. He’s 18 playing at step four – that’s a big thumbs-up. But he’s not showing anything yet that says he could jump up to our under-21s.”

Then – finally – the fourth official’s board goes up and next to him stands the fair-haired teenager with yellow boots.

“The best scouting is coming to watch a player and focusing on them all game,” Robinson says. “The ball’s over there but I’m still watching him. It’s fascinating to get a picture of the player.”

There are 25 minutes remaining. Gorman is on at left wing-back. Robinson’s pen is poised.

And he is jotting notes before Gorman has even touched the ball. “He’s scanning, he’s got good awareness, he’s looking over his shoulder, going with the opponent,” Robinson says, not taking his eyes off the player.

One of the most fascinating elements of this is that Gorman has no idea a Premier League scout is assessing him, that the course of his life could be changed based on what he does in the minutes ahead.

Robinson mostly attends games in “civvies” to keep a low profile. He has an unassuming air. You can see why he’s good at blending into the background.

There will be teenagers higher up the pyramid aware of interest. Scouts queued up to watch Jude Bellingham play for Birmingham City.

Robinson was one of them. His recommendation led Chelsea, where Robinson spent much of his career, to bid £20m before Bellingham chose Borussia Dortmund.

This is a potentially career-altering 25 minutes for Gorman. Getting into Southampton’s academy can lead anywhere.

“His future is being decided and he doesn’t know,” Robinson says. “You never know what you’re going to see. I find this exciting.”

Robinson makes notes as Gorman hits a failed long ball, defends well, has a nice touch and pass off on the left. “He’s composed on the ball, decent touch. The striker made a run out wide to get the ball and he didn’t seem to know to find him. Maybe he’s not used to playing that far forward.”

During a break in play, Robinson asks, “Do you think he’s 5ft 9in?” Again, this is a different world to the Premier League. Gorman won’t have a Wikipedia page revealing his height unless he plays for a Football League club.

“He’s going to have to be seriously quick to be of interest to us as a full-back, I’ve not seen him in a foot race yet.”

It may sound reductive to think that simply being able to run fast will get you to the Premier League. But sometimes you don’t realise how quick the players at the top level are. Even ones who appear slow would clock an enviable 100m time.

“He is checking his shoulders all the time – that’s good.”

Chasing the game, Gorman switches sides. He makes a run down the right when his team-mate has the ball. “It’s great he wants to get in behind, but he would’ve been better dropping off to keep possession. The midfielder can’t see the pass.”

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Several times he has the ball wide right and chooses to cut back. “He always wants to go on his left. It’s a bit predictable.”

We get to see him flat out a couple of times, driving down the wing, chasing back. Robinson scribbles away. I ask what he’s writing.

“I put he’s not super quick but mobile. You want a player at this level to be wowing us with his pace in the wide areas. You’d want to see him go up a gear and get in front of the opponent.”

Gorman makes a tackle with his left foot “when he should tackle with his right”.

Then he almost scores from a header. Robinson turns to me. “If that’d gone in it would’ve been a one-touch finish in the golden area.”

The final whistle blows, and we walk to the car park.

By my untrained eye I think he looks decent. But it sounds, to my untrained ear, like it’s a no.

Robinson stresses that he’s only being harsh because that’s what’s required to make the unlikely leap. And he is intrigued enough for another look.

“He’s done alright not playing in his proper position. I’d like to see him play 90 minutes at left-back. I’ll come again.”

That will be the crucial moment. If Robinson doesn’t fancy him, that will be it. If he is on the fence, he will get Neil Sillet, the national recruitment coordinator, to watch him.

If Robinson is certain, they would offer him a trial. Spend a week training with the under-21s. At this level, it’s likely Millbrook wouldn’t stop him, but the higher you go the trickier it can be.

In other circumstances, Southampton might have to decide whether to make a bid or leave it. Or if a rival club has made an offer, they are forced to move faster.

“If you’ve got time, it’s always better to get more opinions.”

Then Robinson disappears into the night, back to his car for the long drive home, a teenager’s fate in his hands, head already turning to the next game.

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