A TALENTED young Cumbrian footballer has been given a two-year scholarship with Carlisle United.

Liam Brockbank, 16, first signed for the Brunton Park club in 2010, when he was only eight years old after impressing scouts with his performances for Millom St James’ School and at coaching camps.

Possessing a cultured left foot, bags of energy and a great football brain, Brockbank's progress alerted the likes of Man United and Arsenal.

But after shining in trial games for Carlisle – setting two goals up against Hartlepool and bagging a hat-trick against Bradford – he was offered a place in the Cumbrians’ academy set-up.

He has made solid progress in the years since, and his reward is a two-year scholarship, giving him the chance to earn himself a professional contract.

One man who knows all about Brockbank’s ability is Brian Dawson, the Millom-based former Barrow AFC striker, who has charted his progress from an early age.

Dawson first noticed the youngster aged just five years old at a kids’ coaching session he was running, and he was instrumental in giving him his first opportunity at Carlisle.

“On and off, I’ve worked with him since he was nine,” said Dawson, who runs development centres for Carlisle.

“I had first seen him when he was five coming to my skills sessions and summer holiday camps.

“Even when he was at Carlisle, he still attended my skills sessions and obviously I’ve had the opportunity of coaching him up at Carlisle.

“He is the first kid I sent up to Carlisle when I started recruiting for them and the first kid who has gone on to sign YT forms for them, so I’m really chuffed for him.”

Dawson praised Brockbank’s great work ethic and has been surprised and delighted by his evolution into an excellent modern-day left-back.

“He’s been going up there twice a week and weekends as well and he’s a very dedicated boy,” said Dawson.

“His dad came round to see me when he got the news recently and I asked him ‘Did he ever say he didn’t want to go on any of the January nights, the February nights, when it is freezing cold?’ and he said not once did he shirk it.

“He always wanted to be there – and that says it all about him.

“If there was ever a case of if you work hard you get the rewards, then he is the perfect example.

“He has put himself out, not only going up there, but also doing a lot of work on his own. He is a dedicated boy but also very modest with it and a very good player.”

He added: “He started off as a left winger when he was a kid. I had him earmarked as a left winger or a number 10, and I was quite shocked when I found out he had been switched to left-back.

“And then I went and worked with him this year and he is like a modern-day left-back.

“He gets up and down, has good quality on the ball, retains the ball really well.

“He has good decision-making as well and he really shocked me as to how good he has become.

“The hard work starts now for him. There’s going to be a massive commitment for him to leave home and live in Carlisle, but I’m sure he will be fine with that.

“He is a sensible kid and it’s in his hands. I think he will make a career out of football, whether it will be full-time we will have wait and see.”

Brockbank’s proud dad Pete has been with him every step of the way with his encouragement and advice, sacrificing his social life by transporting him up and down the M6 to away games.

The Sellafield worker has a hectic lifestyle. An accomplished sportsman in his day – especially at cricket, where Liam followed in his footsteps – Pete has to juggle his football commitments with his family life with wife Lisa, and their other children, Leigha, 19, and twins Jayden and Kyle, five.

“You have to give a lot up,” said Pete. “We have to turn down nights out. It’s a massive commitment. Not just him, but for the whole family. But we are just chuffed he has got his rewards.

“He wants it badly, but there is more to it than that. You need a bit of luck and hope that someone likes you.

“The thing is now, it’s over to him. He’ll move up to Carlisle in July and my car will get a rest!

“It’s a precarious game, a lot of lads don’t make it, but you never know, if you don’t have the chance you won’t find out.”

Liam’s excellence as an all-round sportsman has seen him win the Millom School sportsman-of-the-year award an unprecedented three years out of the four he has been eligible for it. He leaves the school in June after his GCSEs and then it is up to Carlisle for the next stage of his football career.