Rhys Norrington-Davies, capped this season at senior level by Wales, had not exactly given up on his dream of being a professional footballer after being released at 16 by Swansea City.
But the Sheffield United loanee does admit to wondering just what the future held after opting to move from the family home in South Wales to continue his studies in London.
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“I was devastated when released by Swansea,” Norrington-Davies, who is spending the second half of the season at Stoke City, tells The Athletic. “After that, I moved to Royal Russell School in south London on a scholarship to do my A-Levels at the same time as playing football.
“I hadn’t lost hope but my aim was just to go to university and still enjoy my football there.”
Norrington-Davies never did make it to higher education. Instead, Sheffield United spotted the teenager playing for the Independent Schools Under-18s against their England Schools counterparts in Manchester.
A subsequent scouting mission, this time courtesy of an invitation from United for the Independent Schools side to face college opposition from Sheffield, then led to an offer to join the South Yorkshire club.
Nearly four years later and Norrington-Davies, on the back of helping Wales win promotion to the top tier of the UEFA Nations League last year, is hoping to be part of this summer’s delayed European Championship.
“When the opportunity came around again,” the defender says about that second chance with United, “I wasn’t going to turn it down. I love playing football and there was no way I could say no to being a professional footballer.
“When Travis Binnion, the academy manager at the time, called to offer me the contract, it was a fantastic feeling.
“I might be mistaken here but I think Chris Basham worked at McDonald’s after being released (at 16 by Newcastle). It shows if you have that perseverance, then you can bounce back.”
He was born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He also then had spells living in Nairobi, Kenya, as a child.
There is, though, no doubting where Rhys Norrington-Davies’ international loyalties lay. “I’m Welsh through and through,” he says. “My dad was in the army, so that is why we moved around so much when I was younger.
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“But we moved back to Aberystwyth after living in Kenya for just shy of three years. I was seven at the time, so that’s where I spent my childhood. My mum and dad were both brought up here.”
Prince Abdullah bin Mosaad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Sheffield United owner, may be disappointed to hear that his own country won’t benefit from the footballing services of Norrington-Davies but the Saudi businessman will be delighted as to just how much the defender’s talent has blossomed in his third season on loan away from Bramall Lane.
Having impressed in the National League and League One with Barrow and Rochdale, his step up to the second tier in September with Luton Town proved seamless. It has been the same story of smooth success in international football, with Norrington-Davies’ first three starts against Bulgaria, Finland and the Republic of Ireland all ending in victories.
His family are rightly proud of the strides taken this season. His mum burst into tears when first told about her son’s call-up to the senior squad last October and his dad was “buzzing”.
“I’ll admit I didn’t think the senior squad call-up would happen that quickly,” says the 21-year-old, capped at every level by Wales from under-15s to under-21s. “My target was maybe for the end of the season — to have a full year in the Championship and then, hopefully, be pushing then.
“I spoke to the gaffer at Sheffield United in the summer and we decided it was best for me to continue my development out on loan in the Championship. The Luton move then came about and my only target back then was to go and play as many games as possible.
“To also get an opportunity with Wales, I am so grateful. My first game was Bulgaria away (Wales won 1-0 last October). That was great. Obviously, at the moment, you haven’t got any fans for club or international football. That is a bit of a shame as I would have liked my family to be there. They have done so much for me.
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“Mum and Dad took me all over, from a very early age. At first, it was more local; the junior leagues and my local academy at Aberystwyth. Then, once I joined Swansea’s academy, the journey became a lot longer: about a four-hour round trip, and that was three times a week. A big commitment for them. Now that the rewards are sort of coming, it would have been nice for them to be there. But, hopefully, that can soon change.”
For now, his mum and dad will have to make do with continuing to follow their son’s career online. Today, that will mean tuning in to Stoke’s clash with Luton, the club Norrington-Davies left in January.
It will be a welcome return to the match-day squad for the defender, who has missed the last three games through suspension after being sent off in a 1-1 draw at Huddersfield Town on January 30.
“Being out has been tough,” says the on-loan Stoke man, dismissed for catching Juninho Bacuna with his follow-through after winning the ball with a last-ditch tackle.
“Three weeks is quite a long time out but I do feel to have kept on top of my fitness by doing extra runs here and there. I am looking forward to getting back involved with the boys.”
Having no game to look forward to at the end of the week can be frustrating at the best of times but throw in the sense of isolation that can accompany the strict COVID-19 protocols the EFL has to operate under and loan players, in particular, could be forgiven for finding the experience tricky.
“I’ve been OK, actually,” says Norrington-Davies, who, in December, signed a new contract to keep him at Bramall Lane until 2024. “With being away on loan for the past three seasons, the independence is fine. I can cook to an all right standard. Actually, I’d like to think I’m decent in the kitchen.
“But you’re right to say that it is different to be on loan at the moment, compared to earlier in my career. There are so many rules and that can make things difficult. Usually, when on loan, you can meet up with team-mates. Maybe at the weekend you will go out and have a little bit of food. That, obviously, just isn’t possible at the moment.
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“But I’ve got used to it. This is the profession we are in. You get used to going in, training and then returning to your life at home. Most of the time, you are just chilling; feet up, Playstation on and maybe playing with the boys back home. Not really FIFA or anything like that. I like to switch off, so something like Call of Duty.
“I also watch a lot of football on TV. If there is a game on Sky or BT, 100 per cent I will give it a watch. Championship, Premier League, whatever tends to be on, really. That fills up the time when you can’t go out anywhere.”
New York Stadium, Rotherham. Stoke are the visitors and this Championship clash is goalless when the play is spread to Nick Powell, wide on the left and just a couple of yards inside the Rotherham half.
Norrington-Davies, making only his second appearance for the club following the early curtailment of his loan at Luton, immediately senses the potential of the situation and quickly sets off running.
In a style very reminiscent of how parent club Sheffield United have operated since his own arrival in 2017 as a teenager, Norrington-Davies chooses to run inside Powell rather than on the overlapping route usually preferred by attacking full-backs.
Rotherham’s Matthew Olosunde has tracked the run from the left-back but is unable to cut out Powell’s deft pass inside for the onrushing Norrington-Davies to chase. The loanee reaches the edge of the penalty area before firing a cross intended for Jacob Brown that home defender Angus McDonald can only divert past his own goalkeeper into the net.
The Athletic mentions to Norrington-Davies the similarities between this opening goal in last month’s 3-3 draw and how Wilder’s United can open up opposition defences when in full flow.
Modestly, the 21-year-old ignores the opportunity to bask in any praise. Instead, he wants to make clear his wish the goal had been enough to earn “the three points” before adding, “I am just looking forward to getting back out on the pitch and bring my attacking threat to help Stoke City”.
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Chances are he will soon be doing just that. Now back from suspension, Norrington-Davies and Stoke have 16 games remaining to force their way into the play-offs. Their midweek win over Sheffield Wednesday left the Potteries club sitting ninth in the table, seven points behind sixth-placed Bournemouth.
After that comes the delayed European Championship, where Wales have been drawn in Group A with Italy, Switzerland and Turkey.
With six Wales internationals in Michael O’Neill’s squad, plus former Under-21s international Morgan Fox, a strong finish in the Championship could make all the difference to those bidding to be part of Ryan Giggs’ squad.
“We have the camp in March to come first,” says Norrington-Davies when asked about the upcoming tournament. “Hopefully, I can get the call-up for that but, for now, I just want to get back playing for Stoke. That is my main focus.
“Get back in the team; that has to be the aim. If that happens, what I do on the pitch will decide how things go on the international scene.”
Whatever happens between now and the Euros, Sheffield United fans will be looking forward to welcoming back their Welsh international next season.
A tall and powerful player, he has impressed hugely at left-back this season. However, he spent so much time at centre-half with Rochdale last season that Luton manager Nathan Jones, when scouting for a full-back, had to make around 10 trips before finally seeing enough of his target in a wider role to make a judgement.
This versatility could be a major plus for United going forward. His stellar performances in the Championship have certainly not gone unnoticed back in South Yorkshire, not least because there is possibly an argument to be made that Norrington-Davies could be the success story of United’s season despite not playing a single minute for the club.
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United, for their part, keep a close eye on all their players out at other clubs through loans manager Mark Smith.
“The club is in touch regularly,” says Norrington-Davies, who is yet to appear for the United first team despite making the bench a few times under Wilder before he was sent out on that first loan to Barrow.
“Smudge is in charge of the loans and I speak to him at least once a week. It is good to catch up. I speak to a few of the lads as well: Tyler Smith (on loan at Swindon Town), the most.
“We did about four months at Barrow together. He also came in at Rochdale as well when I was on loan. Me and Tyler get on well. When I am back in Sheffield, we chill together. All good.”
(Top photo: James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images)