At 18 years of age Glen Fiteni has already enjoyed a rich and varied footballing career which has seen him spend five years as a youngster on Swansea City's books, have an extended trial with Chelsea until a freak injury cut his stay short, represent Malta as a junior international - and is currently the captain of the Haverfordwest County development squad, the replacement this season of the old McWhirter League!
Great encouragement from dad
Glen's qualification for Malta goes back to his very young days when he lived with his family on the island and dad David gave him every encouragement from the time he was old enough to kick a ball.
"There were steps up to our first floor apartment," explained Glen, ”and dad used to put a tape down the middle of them so that if the ball went on the left side I had to keep it up with my left foot - and the same thing with my right foot on the other side
"I loved the challenge and it certainly developed my ball skills with both feet and so by the time I was six I was already playing for my local team, which was called Birzebuggia. And that is where I stayed, later playing up front or as an attacking midfielder once we had started playing league football as I got older - and I was thrilled to receive the 'Most Promising Player' award."
Pleasure out of disappointment – and a move to Pembrokeshire
On one occasion Glen played at under 9 level against a touring Manchester United team and they lost heavily but although he was disappointed to lose it was great when their coach told him that the Manchester United coach had singled him out as someone to watch out for in the future.
Then the Fiteni family moved to Pembrokeshire and Glen started out playing for a Milford United junior team coached by Michael Hier, but he was soon involved with the Swansea City satellite squad at Tenby after Angie Nicholls had recommended he go there.
Swansea City- bound – and five years there!
There was a two-week inaugural trial, followed by another 20 weekly sessions but Mark Falzon had Glen fast-tracked so that he had to turn out at Swansea every Friday for six weeks.
"It meant even more travel for my father but he didn't mind in the least and it was an exciting time because there were also away matches to take part in.
"I was with the Swans for five years in all and luckily we were able to share transport with my team mates Scott Jones and Ben Aldred, and sometimes with Liam Cullen.
"We travelled twice a week to the Elba Ground in Swansea and there were also Sunday games against the likes of Chelsea, Bristol City, Cardiff City, Cheltenham Town and Exeter City - and when we played Bournemouth it meant leaving at 4am!
"There was even talk of the need for a third evening's training and eventually it just got too much alongside school work - and so we sent an e-mail to coaching organiser Tony Pennock to say we had decided to stop being involved."
Back to Kilgetty – and a coveted cap for Malta
From there Glen decided to join Chris Griffiths at Kilgetty and really recharged his batteries to such an extent that David wrote to the Maltese Football Association to tell them of Glen's eligibility - and he was soon playing in trials and then chosen to play international football against the likes of France, England and Italy - and was honoured to receive his Maltese cap at a post-match presentation ceremony.
Memorable moments at Chelsea – but not all for the right reasons!
After a while Glen also enrolled at a residential camp with Chelsea, which meant dad David had to drive him up to London and they came back the same evening, another example of his father's total support, and he began playing for their squad just below academy level.
"We trained at Chelsea's Cobham Ground and I once saw Michael Essien working out there in my two month stay.
"I was really pleased with the way things were going and was even more chuffed when one of the coaches told me that a scout was visiting our next home match, just to watch me play.
"I felt nervous all day, although I enjoyed the pre-match warm up - but disaster struck after leaving the changing rooms because I hadn't taken four paces onto the pitch when I tripped and ruptured tendons in my knee.
"I knew it was bad straight away and had to be stretchered off - and was sick as the proverbial parrot as the scout came over to say he was sorry, before leaving without watching the game.
"I was out for ten weeks and never went back, joining Haverfordwest County to regain fitness - and staying there ever since."
Made welcome by Steve, Colin and the young Bluebirds
It was then that he met Steve Batty and Colin Fawcett, the managers of the Bluebirds' development squad, and is still full of praise for the way that he has been treated at the Conygar Bridge Meadow Stadium.
"After my debut as a 16 year old I have played for the past three years, apart from a few spells out through injury. The worst came I had a knee problem back in October and fought my way back to full fitness, only to break my ankle in my first game back!
"Last season was a good one and we could have won the McWhirter League but for a huge backlog of fixtures that saw us having to play our last 11 matches in less than a month - and the pressure, plus a growing injury list, saw us just miss out in the final analysis.
Transitional period – but honoured with the captaincy
"This season has seen us in a transitional stage where the format has changed to allow older players back into the fold to get practice after injury from the first team - and we are missing players of the calibre of Mark Davies, Dan Evans, Gwion Howell, Lloyd Hughes, Laurie Haworth and especially skipper Joe Brill.
"I was honoured to be asked by Steve Batty to take over the role of team captain, not least because it shows his trust in me - and I am also looking to get more and more involved after working with first team manager, Wayne Jones, who has also been a great help to me since I first played for him in a pre-season friendly against Swansea City under 23s in front of a good crowd at the Conygar Bridge Meadow Stadium.
Selected by Wayne for first team
"I couldn't have had a tougher start for the firsts in a competitive match than I did because I played the whole 90 minutes of a Welsh Cup game away to The New Saints, who are all full-time players and very fit, skillful and far more physical than I had been used to. We lost 3-1 but I totally enjoyed the experience."
Glen then made his Welsh Premier League debut at home to Bala Town and readily admits that his next aim is to gain more experience and eventually claim a regular place alongside other local youngsters like Ricky Watts and Gregg Walters.
"I know it will take lots of hard work but I'm ready for the challenge," Glen told us, and we at PembrokeshireSport.co.uk have no doubt that Glen Fiteni is a name that we are going to hear lots more of in the future with Haverfordwest County - and even further beyond if this talented young footballer gets the right chances to shine!