https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnVH3fjQAAU Sonny Pike was appearing on television shows like Fantasy Football and doing McDonald's adverts before he'd so much as signed a professional contract. After banging in buckets of goals for his local youth team in Essex, Pike was flooded with offers. At the age of 14 he was in an advert for McDonald's, doing promotional appearances for Coca-Cola and reportedly had his legs insured for £1m. Pike ended up in Leyton Orient's youth team before famously being offered a trial by Dutch giants Ajax. Pike went and impressed enough to be offered a move to Amsterdam, but he declined, preferring to stay with his family in England. He was also linked with Chelsea, and stated his wish for a move to Stamford Bridge in a documentary called Coaching and Poaching. An FA inquiry then banned the youngster for a year. After his ban had ended he had a few trials at league clubs including Crystal Palace, but they never amounted to anything. His love for the game had gone and, feeling he had no support in the professional game, he drifted around on non-league with the likes of Enfield, Waltham Forest and Dryburgh Saints. His football career ended in his early 20's, and he now earns a living as a taxi driver. Likened to George Best as a young teenager, he was never given the chance to really show what kind of player he could have been.
David is an office drone and freelance writer for WhatCulture and Moviepilot, among others. He's also foolishly writing a serialised novel on Jukepop and has his own irregularly updated website. He's available for freelance work. Reach out on Twitter to @davefox990