Seager's Mega Drive Is Fueling Another Shot At The Big Time

But Ryan Seager isn’t interested in hard luck stories, and he’s not keen on waving the white flag to a career in the game either.

Hungerford Town may be a way a world from the heady heights of the elite level but if his impact so far is anything to go by, there may be another story to tell further down the line.

From bottom of the table for most of last season to knowing they’ll be top this weekend in their own right if they avoid defeat, it’s been some turn around for the Crusaders.

While he is walking out at the Bulpit, his old manager Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has the keys to Barca’s Nou Camp.

But the two-time capped England U17 international won’t look back wondering - he has a built-in confidence that any striker worth his salt has that one day it will happen for him again.

“I guess not every player can say they were given their debut by the Barcelona manager!” Seager, 24, said. “He used to train me, now he trains Messi. It’s funny how things work out in football.

“I remember when he told me I was going to play, it was against Swansea and we were flying - the club were sixth at the time and it was the perfect moment to make my debut. He’s a quiet man but a top class coach.

“When he was linked to the Barca job I was hoping he would get it, it’s always good to say you’ve played under the manager of one of the biggest clubs in the world!”

It’s happened before, and it will one day happen again.

There are similarities with his story and the iconic tale of you-know-who, the fleet-footed Fox at the heart of English football’s favourite fairytale.

“I haven’t given up on playing in the Premier League again one day. I know some people may not think it will happen but so much of this game is about self-belief and also being at the right place at the right time,” he adds.

“It’s been a difficult few years but I have been looking for a manager to really believe in me and I think I have found him.

“What I had has not gone away. I had a taste for what it’s like at the top of the game and I want another crack at it.

“You do look back on where you were and wonder if it could have all gone another way but I won’t be down in the dumps, and I won’t stop believing I can get another shot at it.

“If I keep working hard you just never know - we’ve seen before what can happen once a player of my age gets that belief back.

“Jamie Vardy has proven to everyone that going out, enjoying football and getting games can do any player the power of good, it doesn’t matter what level. His career is an inspiration to so many people in football. We know it’s a ruthless business.

“I was a pro for six or seven years and I want to be again. It’s about working hard and hopefully getting your reward at the end of it.”

For Seager, it was almost a full year since he kicked a competitive ball.

When his time at Havant was cut short by injury he returned to Yeovil. His face didn’t fit and just when he was hoping to get another loan move the pandemic hit, and his contract wasn’t renewed.

He was just desperate to play - but what is it they say about being careful what you wish for?

“I was really itching to get back out there and get games, Hungerford said they would give me that chance,” he added. “They really wanted me and manager Danny Robinson made that clear, he said I would play.

“He wasn’t kidding - we had no fewer than 14 pre-season games, and I played in 13 of them! So I had gone from playing no football from November to July to playing twice a week every week.

“As a player, you want to be playing matches. Training is great, but you want games if you can, give me that over the bleep tests on Tuesday nights throughout the summer!

“I think the attitude was we needed to shake off the cobwebs so it was Saturday-Tuesday right the way through. It was demanding but I loved it.”

Perhaps the seismic schedule offers clues to Hungerford’s incredible start.

The side sitting bottom of the division for most of last season have begun incredibly with three wins from three - and three clean sheets.

It’s three goals too for Seager, who is personally profiting not only from playing but from a long summer of bursting the onion bag.

“People may think 14 friendly games is mad but it could be the reason why we have started so well,” he added. "We only lost once, and that installed a real confidence within the group.

“For me personally, I got eight or nine goals in those games. As a striker you can’t beat the feeling of putting the ball in the back of the net. You thrive off it, and it’s because of the summer that I am feeling so sharp now.”

But it looked like that big plan had completely backfired after the first competitive game of the season.

“We were in FA Cup action the day it all re-started, and we lost 4-0 at Truro City,” the 24-year-old explained. “It didn’t set alarm bells ringing - it just gave us the kick up the backside we needed.

“They had four shots and scored with them all, it was one of those days. Since then it’s been all positive and we can’t wait for the games to come around.”

Hungerford share the leadership with fellow flawless side Dorking Wanderers - and those two meet next Saturday in what is a mouth-watching early season match-up.

Seager added: “We play Ebbsfleet United first this weekend, and Dorking don’t play, so with a bit of good fortune we can head into that one with a little lead and officially top of the table.

“It’s quite an achievement considering how much the club struggled last year and with the fact that if things weren’t as they are Hungerford would be playing in a lower division.

“We’re not getting ahead of ourselves, you won’t hear us saying that we’re about to win the league. We are just enjoying it and we’ll see where it takes us but we’re all smiling and that’s what really matters.”

PHOTOS BY PHIL CANNINGS