AFC Totton
Exciting creative midfield prospect Jake Adams has spoken enthusiastically about his decision to join AFC Totton until the end of the season.
The 19-year-old Basingstoke-born maestro, who models his game on recent Aston Villa signing Phillippe Coutinho, is a former academy player with both Southampton and AFC Bournemouth, and has already attracted the interest of a number of other clubs.
Jake was only 7-years-old when he joined the Saints Academy, moving on to the Cherries at 12, when his family moved to Dorset.
Last season, he was part of the Bournemouth U23s squad that reached the Hampshire Senior Cup Final, which, coincidentally, was staged at the Snows Stadium. He did not feature in that remarkable final, though, in which a late headed goal by Cherries goalkeeper Mark Travers sent the match to a penalty shoot-out that Bournemouth went on to win 5-3.
The young playmaker prefers to wear the No.10 shirt and revels in describing the kind of football he likes to play:
“I like to beat players in one-v-ones and then slip passes through to the forwards. Goals and assists; I like to bring excitement to the attack. I also like a set-piece and I put a lot of practice into my free-kicks.”
Connections among the coaches at Bournemouth resulted in Jake getting some playing time with Wessex League Premier side, Alresford Town, and he now joins the Stags to supplement Dan Sackman’s squad for the end of season charge for promotion. And Jake is keen to get started:
“This is a very well-run club, with the Manager and Assistant Manager trying to play football the right way. I’m from the wider Southampton area, so it will be great to have friends and family coming to watch. We’re going to need to make a big push for promotion and I hope I can help to take us all the way!”
By Ben Rochey-Adams
Images courtesy of Craig Hobbs Photography
