MYLES LEWIS-SKELLY has revealed he did WORK EXPERIENCE at Arsenal before joining the club as a full-time scholar.
The left-back, although only 19, has made 57 first-team appearances for the club but even when he was 15, he volunteered to spend time working at Arsenal’s community hub which is at the Emirates.
Arsenal are celebrating 40 years of their community programme and now run 40 regular programmes operated by a workforce of 100 full-time and part-time staff with over 6000 people in Islington benefitting. Even this week, the club’s first-team stars were out and about at various events.
Lewis-Skelly, who grew up in Haringey 10 minutes from the stadium, said: “I went to work at The Arsenal Hub for a week which was a lovely experience and one that I really want to do again.
“Just helping out, just being there for the kids, being there for the community. It’s something I pride myself on, being able to give back, and it brought me a lot of joy.
“My mum knew Jack Ironside who worked for our community programme and she basically told him: ‘My boy will come down and help out because that’s how I raised him.’
“We did a stadium tour as well and I looked around the Emirates. It was just before I became a full-time scholar in the academy so I hadn’t played in the FA Youth Cup by that time. But yes, there’s a great atmosphere at The Hub.
“When clubs get to the magnitude and size of Arsenal, they can forget about the community sometimes but not Arsenal.”
Even when Lewis-Skelly joined the club’s academy, on a pre-season tour to Scotland, he told the players about his work experience and how he enjoyed it.
On Tuesday, at The Hub, Declan Rice, Mikel Merino and Kepa were among the players who read to youngsters while Eberechi Eze and Ethan Nwaneri played bowls with some elderly local residents.
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Some of the club’s stars made visits to a couple of London hospitals, including Great Ormond Street Hospital.
ARSENAL youngster Maldini Kacurri is impressing at Morecambe and the National League side want to extend his loan.
Kacurri, 20, joined Morecambe in September on a loan deal that runs until next month.
The defender has excelled for the Shrimps and was voted the club’s Player of the Month for October and November.
Morecambe want to keep hold of Kacurri – but his performances may have attracted interest from clubs higher up the Pyramid.
The centre-back has experience of playing at a higher level after a spell with League Two side Bromley last season.
THE ‘goalkeepers union’ is alive and well at Arsenal.
The club’s goalkeeping coaches Inaki Cana and Terry Mason went out for lunch this week to Italian restaurant, Per Tutti, in St Albans along with the first-team goalkeepers.
Arsenal No1 David Raya and his backup, Kepa Arrizabalaga, were there.
Young trio Alexei Rojas, Jack Porter and Tommy Setford were in attendance, too.
Arsenal’s lead physical performance coach, Sam Wilson, is a popular figure in the dressing room and was also there.
Cana and Mason went to the same restaurant with their goalkeepers last year and it would appear the meal has become a Christmas tradition.
Cana wrote on Instagram: “GK Department, sharing a very pleasant afternoon with the Boys.
“I feel very fortunate and proud of this incredible strong group, both as people and as professionals. I love you guys.”
CAPTAIN Martin Odegaard is known for leading by example – but he is not afraid of using his voice.
Odegaard sets the standard at Arsenal for how they train and play, and he was one of several senior players unhappy with Saturday’s performance against Wolves.
The Norwegian made that clear in the dressing room at full time, reminding his team-mates of the levels they must hit to lift major silverware this season.
The Gunners are next in action on Saturday night, when they travel to Everton.
Mikel Arteta will expect a reaction from his players after giving them two days off following the lacklustre win over Wolves.
THERE is great excitement at Arsenal – and among fans – about the future arrivals of Edwin and Holger Quintero.
The Ecuadorian twins, who are both 16, are viewed as two of the hottest prospects in South American football.
They cannot join Arsenal until August 2027, when they turn 18, but the club will be keeping a keen eye on them in that time.
The Gunners will work closely with the Quintero twins’ current club, Independiente del Valle, on the pair’s development.
Arsenal will keep in contact with Independiente del Valle and the twins as they look to maximise their potential.
