FROM the glamour of the Premier League to the North West Counties League – if ever there was a story to highlight just how difficult it is for young players to break into first-team football it is Alex Coleman’s.

The young defender had two years as a professional footballer with Burnley – he had been on the club’s books for 13 years, young man and boy.

In 2012 he captained the youth team to Burnley’s first FA Youth Cup semi final in 34 years. On and off the field he carried himself like a leader whose qualities would naturally transfer to the first team one day.

But the moment the Clarets climbed into the Premier League, he sensed it would be time to step down.

As the promotion celebrations were in full swing, they were somewhat muted for the centre half. He had been told that he would not be offered a new contract at Turf Moor.

Manager Sean Dyche could not envisage him being part of a Premier League squad and, given the form of Jason Shackell and Michael Duff all last season, Coleman found it hard to argue.

There was interest from Bury, among others.

But, with a maturity belying his tender years, the level-headed former youth team captain did not want the risk of going from one 12-month contract to the next, with no guarantees as clubs at all levels of football, but certainly in League Two, look to cut their cloth.

In the meantime, the top clubs continue to spend multi-millions on foreign imports.

Coleman is only 20. He could have got away with that lifestyle for a couple of years or more.

But he took a long-term view, and a step back.

It has resulted in the defender joining Colne FC and enrolling on a four-year physio degree course at Salford University.

But this sort of scenario is nothing new. Indeed the struggle to make a career in professional football is a problem that has spanned the generations.

My Dad was prolific in his youth.

In the 1960s, before the advent of academies, he played for his local team and was scouted in that environment.

He once scored 12 goals in a game. Granted, it was a juniors fixture, and obviously I’m biased, but averaging a goal every 7.5 minutes is impressive regardless of the level or the standard.

I don’t know of anyone else who has matched it.

He went on to score 32 goals in just five games. His parents kept the newspaper cuttings that I cherish more since he passed away in July.

My Dad signed youth team forms, but a professional career was not forthcoming. He would reconcile with Coleman’s story.

We like to think that we have developed our national game and advanced.

We are often told the Premier League is still the best in the world.

But at grassroots level, despite all the well meaning and attempts at management through schemes like the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP), half a century after my Dad slipped through the professional football net, when you consider the case of Coleman perhaps we haven't moved on at all.