Aaron Rowe discusses his football journey
- Aaron Rowe reflects on his career so far
- Winger on stepping up to the First Team
- Interview first seen in The Terrier
My first memory of playing football is when I was really little. I remember playing with my dad and my brother in the park, we used to do it all the time on a weekend and since then I’ve just loved kicking a ball.
My brother, Omar, was my main person to go to because he was the main one doing football and he was the one that made it serious when he signed for Southampton. That memory will always sit in my head and my heart.
I knew I wanted to be a professional footballer when I started going to school. While I was at Primary and Secondary school I would just doze off and not listen in class, I’d just think about playing football and being in the park playing with my friends. Often the teacher would be like “Aaron, are you listening?” and I’d just be daydreaming about being on a pitch! School was definitely the main moment where I just knew that I wanted to play football for the rest of my life.
My parents were really supportive. My dad was the one that would take me to football and to trials all the time. My mum was a bit more sort of on and off, she was really supportive, but she really wanted me to get my education as well.
Leyton Orient will always be a good memory for me. It was my first Club and I made a lot of good friends there. They always produce good footballers and they’re all good people there. It was a great experience, a very very good experience.
For me, my downfall was my work rate off the ball. I always wanted to find a Club where they would open my eyes and help me realise that it isn’t just about what you can do on the ball, it’s about what you can do off it as well. The first session I had with Huddersfield I noticed that it was just running off the ball and I thought “Wow! I need to look at myself and get better off the ball.” When I made that change, that’s when I realised that this Club is perfect for me.
Town’s Academy has always been a setting stone for the First Team. It’s helped me massively with my step up this season. Ever since I’ve been here the Academy staff have always checked up on me and set targets so that you never go off track. They always make you do extras as well, so they definitely keep you in line and I think the Academy is a great place to be and as I said before, the perfect setting stone for the First Team.
Making my debut against AFC Bournemouth was an amazing feeling. I’ll never ever ever forget it. Ever since I’ve been little, all I’ve ever dreamt about is playing in the Premier League, and so to finally do it was just a dream come true. I’d watch Match of the Day and think “One day,” and then at Bournemouth I managed to get picked and it happened for me. It all planned out perfectly, it was amazing. My sister and my mum vlogged it! I watched the reaction over when I was home and I got a little tear in my eye; it was such an amazing feeling.
I was the first player to play for Town’s First Team that was born in the 2000s – it’s a phenomenal achievement! Not only to play for the First Team, but to be the first player who was born in the 2000s is a crazy crazy achievement. I think I’m used to being at the younger end of the age group when I’m on the pitch now. I’m a guy who doesn’t really feel pressure, I just like to rise above it and focus all my energy on the game in hand.
Scoring my first professional goal against Plymouth in the Emirates FA Cup this season was another great feeling! It was off my weaker foot as well! I’ve always said I feel more confident on my left foot even though I’m right-footed. It was a brilliant goal and an amazing feeling. I’m proud to have got it and it means a lot to me and my family.
Making the step up this season and playing under Carlos Corberán has been amazing. Playing under Carlos is a very different style of football, but I can feel myself improving massively. His coaching is unorthodox, but very effective and I can see myself improving dramatically, which is the main thing as a footballer.
When it comes to the rest of this season, I just want to keep improving and keep learning. Obviously, there’s still a long long way for me to go in terms of my development and so I just want to keep improving every single day and be as consistent as I can. I want to play as many games as possible and gain as much experience as I can and just continue enjoying my football, because I really am enjoying it right now.
