‘Buses kicked off my

Transport to training was lifesaver, says England football ace

From Premier League star to football pundit, Jermaine Jenas wouldn’t have achieved his success without the support he enjoyed growing up in nottingham. Here the ex-england and nottingham forest midfielder reflects on the facilities he relied on – including buses – and urges readers to complete this year’s census. the answers you give help decision makers assess local needs and provide vital services, such as transport, in your area…

I had a ball at my feet from when I could walk. My dad was a coach and set up soccer schools in the summer, where future pros Darren Huckerby and Michael Johnson trained.

They were older than me, but I’d get involved with drills.

My local team was Clifton All Whites. We’d train on our own pitches, but also at Nottingham Trent University, which had an inflatable dome facility. If someone opened the door, they’d be shouted at to shut it before the dome would deflate!

I’d play Saturday morning for my district, get back in time to play in the afternoon for Clifton, and then Sunday morning for Nottingham Forest. By the age of 12, the FA said I couldn’t play that many matches. I had to log my games, but to be honest, I’d lie. If my local side had a big match, I’d still play.

To train with Forest, I was constantly on public transport.

It was my lifesaver. Mum was working hard, so Tuesdays and Thursdays I’d pack my school bag and football bag, lug them onto the bus and carry them around school all day, before catching more buses to and from Forest’s training ground.

I was home around 9pm.

Even when I earned my first contract, I still had to catch the bus to training every day because I didn’t have a car. I remember waiting at the bus stop and striker Dougie Freedman would drive up, wind down the window and shout: “JJ, where you going?” He’d then drop me at home. Dougie was brilliant.

Through an education foundation I started with a friend, we provide free school bus trips in Nottingham for children who can’t afford to pay. I used to be one of those kids – on free school meals with 25p for my bus fare. The driver would punch a hole in my return ticket and if I lost it I was done for!

I’ve got three kids now and worry about their future, when I think about my childhood and the facilities I had. Having those good public transport links meant I could play football and train for my career, it was all there for me.

That’s why you should fill in the census as it helps build a picture of what services are needed in your community. It only takes around ten minutes per person to complete and it’s too important not to do it.

I was on free school meals with 25p for my bus fare and if I lost my ticket I was done for