I CAME through a group at City with James Trafford, Gavin Bazunu, and Cieran Slicker. Two of them made their Premier League debuts at 20, and I was playing in the National League at 21." The chances of making it all the way through to the top at an elite academy remain incredibly slim, and even slimmer for goalkeepers.
Louie Moulden knows that through his own experience, although as he builds his career up again he has had time to reflect on five years at the City Football Academy.
The son of former City striker Paul, Louie moved across to the Blues from rivals Liverpool at 14 in a controversial switch after he felt his progress had halted and wanted a fresh challenge.
After being cleared to play, Moulden's first professional deal was for three years and the first saw him play for England at youth level and make the FA Youth Cup final, as well as win another cup and be part of a strong league performance.
However, the next season started in difficult circumstances with the death of a friend and a combination of injuries then stalling his development.
The pandemic arrived just as he tried to belatedly kickstart his season and after six more months of disruption the young stopper walked back into the academy to be told that he would be going to National League North side Gloucester on loan.
"For a Man City academy graduate, it is not the norm. That was tough, and it was not the right move for me," Moulden tells M.E.N.
Sport "It was a really rushed move and one where I didn't have any time to think about and plan.
"That was an experience in itself coming out of a £200m training ground to go and play for Gloucester. It was an interesting six months of my life.
"I don't want that to taint the relationships that I had there with people because there are some very good coaches and people and I loved working with them, so it is mixed feelings.
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