I faced England stars Phil Foden & Jude Bellingham… now I’m making my way as a manager aged just 23

A FORMER Sheffield United ace who grew up idolising Neil Warnock and Chris Wilder has started his quest to emulate them as Blades manager - aged just 23.

Reon Potts joined his home city’s academy as a seven-year-old and later trained with Wilder’s 2019 promotion-winning squad.

He left for Scunthorpe that summer and later joined York City before spells at Tamworth, Matlock Town, Brighouse Town, Marske United and Liversedge.

Despite being unable to fulfil his dream of playing for United’s first-team, he still hopes to lead them to glory one day, just like Warnock and Wilder.

But that’s only after he brings success to Northern Counties East Premier outfit Goole AFC.

Potts recently replaced Nathan Helliwell, who quit after losing the first three games this season, to become one of, if not the, youngest bosses in the country.

Potts told SunSport: “I read somewhere that I’m the youngest manager in the top ten divisions in England, I’m not 100 per cent sure, but it’s not really daunting for me.

“Age is just a number, it’s about experience and, even though I’m only 23, I’ve played at a good level and been in both great and struggling teams at full-time and part-time football.

“I’ve experienced a lot and I don’t think my age really has anything to do with it. I like the fact that I’m young and I can see the players’ perspectives as I was experiencing what they were going through less than a year ago. I can understand their mindset and what they need and how they want to be spoken to.”

Potts came through the ranks with now Welsh international David Brooks and played against the likes of Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham and Jadon Sancho during his academy days.

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But he always knew he had a passion for coaching - and his decision to get an early start on his management journey paid dividends after he suffered a nasty injury on Boxing Day.

After a failed comeback in pre-season that lasted less than five minutes, he finally discovered the devastating true extent of the damage.

Potts said: “I then went through the PFA and got to see a specialist who told me that I had completely ruptured my ACL, so it looks like it’ll be a minimum of two years recovery.

“I spoke to the old manager at the start of the season about my desire to stay in football and not pack it in and asked if I could be involved with coaching as I’d done my badges while I was a scholar at Sheffield United and I’ve coached on Sundays and set up my own coaching business after leaving full-time football.

“I’d always had an eye on coaching as I knew it would be something that I’d want to do after playing but after the injury it seemed the perfect time to get into it and the opportunity came at Goole.

“I was assistant manager but the boss got suspended for our first three games of the season and he put me in charge and I absolutely loved it. The tactical battle, everything, it just felt right.

“When he left the chairman said that everyone at the club felt like I was the right option to take them forward if I was interested and it was a no-brainer for me.”

It looked set to be a baptism of fire for Potts as he tried to prepare his team, who had not even scored a goal yet this term, to face table-topping Penistone Church.

His players produced a brilliant 3-2 victory to get him off to a flyer.

They then suffered a 6-0 defeat to Tadcaster Albion and a 3-0 loss to Thackley before battling to snatch a late equaliser to draw 2-2 at Barton Town last night.

His brief stint in charge has already been a rollercoaster, but he remains confident that he and assistant Jamie Smith, who he says has “been around everywhere and knows everyone in non-league”, can transform the club’s fortunes.

He said: “We have a really young squad and at this level you need a bit of experience. It’s tough to get the players but we’ll get there as staff.”

Potts still harbours hopes of getting back on the pitch, but he is also delighted to get straight into management.

And he is still dreaming big of potentially one day sitting in the Bramall Lane dug-out.

He added: “I grew up as a Blade. Chris Wilder went the same route coaching in non-league and so did Neil Warnock… so you never know. That would be great.”