Football journalist David Ornstein has revealed he spent a year on loan at a Premier League club as a youth before embarking on a career in media.
A correspondent for The Athletic, Ornstein has become renowned his transfer scoops and updates with insider information.
However, despite having earned a reputation as one of the most prominent individuals in his industry, as a youth Ornstein wanted nothing more than to become a professional footballer.
After failing to secure a place with Chelsea’s academy having spent a year with the club, the former BBC reporter was faced with a crossroads as to where to channel his ambitions going forward.
Speaking on the Dwight and Friends podcast with Dwight Yorke, former Premier League forward Kevin Davies and Daily Mirror editor Darren Lewis, Ornstein insisted that he relied solely on his work ethic to reach his current position.
David Ornstein revealed he spent time on trial at Chelsea before embarking on his career in journalism
Ornstein credited the success he has found in journalism to his work ethic and determination
‘I only knew to graft, I had no academic intelligence.’ He said.
‘I failed very badly at school exams because all I wanted to do was play football. I was on trial for a year at Chelsea, and my mind was set on becoming a Premier League football or a professional athlete.
‘And I saw relatives, brothers, cousins, getting top results and going to university. And I was thinking, what on earth am I going to do here?
‘At one point, I was a waiter at Pizza Hut in my spare time from school, but I just thought, you have to work harder. You just have if you have one of academic intelligence or hard work, some people are blessed with both.
‘I’m not, unfortunately, but the graft and the hard work will always get you somewhere.’
‘And if you don’t cut corners, and if you manage to apply yourself, and believe it or not, you can work harder than everyone else, if you want to, then it can take you a long way.’
