Birmingham teen went from street robber to soccer star

Jun 28 2009 by Jonny Greatrex, Sunday Mercury

A FORMER street robber has told how he turned his back on gang violence to become a professional footballer.

James Reid, 17, was brought up in Nechells, Birmingham, and looked to be heading for a life spent in and out of prison.

But after being fitted with an electronic tag for mugging another youngster, the teenager began turning his life around.

Now after offering his services to more than 40 clubs the determined striker has been signed by League One outfit Carlisle United on a two-year deal.

And tomorrow he will start the first day of his new life as he reports for pre-season training at the club’s Brunton Park Stadium.

Former tearaway James has no doubts where he would be if he was not playing football.

“I would be in prison now, simple as that, I was bad,” the Manchester United fan told the Sunday Mercury.

“Back then I was behaving badly, I didn’t really know what I was going to do.

“I did the street robbery because I was following my friends.

“The people I robbed recognised me and told the police. They said I had a knife but that was a lie.

“There were three of them and I was going to be found guilty anyway, so I just agreed with what they said.”

James, who has six sisters and two brothers, was sentenced to a one-year supervision order and tagged for six months.

The sentence proved a turning point for a young man who had showed so much promise at football.