SA brothers for Liverpool
TO SAY EAST London’s Shelton family live, breathe and eat Liverpool Football Club would be an understatement.
Like thousands of South African families they are fanatical Liverpool supporters and when Enrico and Shirese Shelton’s sons Gabriano and El Niño were still in nappies, they already had them decked out from head to toe in their “first Liverpool kit”.
Unlike most though, the Shelton family are living out their Liverpool dreams and are closer to the famous Lancashire club than they could have ever imagined.
Both Gabriano (10) and El Niño (7) have already “signed” academy contracts and the family is currently living in Liverpool while the boys train daily with the club’s academy.
Enrico and Shirese hail from an East London community called Vergenoeg, an area which is notorious for crime, drugs, gangsterism and poverty.
Enrico played football for a legendary local East London team, Saints Football Club, and was a top club cricketer for United Cricket Club.
They made the move to the United Kingdom in 2005 and Enrico joined the British Army. Enrico still serves in the British Army and has been stationed in various countries.
Gabriano, a box-to-box midfielder cum winger, was born in England and El Niño, a striker named after former Liverpool striker Fernando Torres, was born in Germany, but both hold British citizenship.
“Gabriano started playing football seriously in November 2013, aged six, and El Niño in 2014, aged four, while we were living in Germany. Both boys played in Germany for SV Avenwedde and PRB Gütersloh, and then for professional Cypriot European Champions League team Apoel FC. After we moved to England in October they played for Allstars in Wigan,” explained Enrico, as he charted his sons’ football path.
Gabriano flew to England from Cyprus to attend All Stars trials in Birmingham and Manchester after finding out about the trials online.
“Despite playing with other players up to the age of 14, Gabriano was one of the standout players in his group and had his details taken by three clubs over the two days of trials, two of whom are in the Premier League, the biggest football league in the world,” Allstars said in a statement.
It was Liverpool however, who beat Burnley and a host of clubs, including Premier League leaders Manchester City, to signing the talented youngsters.
“In the second week [November 27 last year] of the six-week trial period for Gabriano, out of the blue we received a phone call from Liverpool FC’s head of recruitment. He said they had had a meeting with all the coaches and had seen enough of Gabriano to warrant a formal approach for him. They wanted him to sign an academy contract the next evening,” Enrico said.
“They also want to offer El Niño a pre-contract agreement to sign for Liverpool’s Under 9 team in May, because that’s the legal age the club is allowed to sign players. He is the second youngest player in the squad. It was an immensely proud moment for us as a family,” said Enrico of the fairytale approach from the club who have always been closest to the family’s hearts.
Over the years they have both won many individual awards and trophies in football, rugby and academics, “too many to list” said the proud dad.
They have been scouted by up to nine British professional teams with some offering contracts after just two training sessions – but it’s Liverpool where their hearts belong.
“Like any kid they hope to feature at international level one day and carve out a long career at Liverpool. They do realise that it is a long, painful road but the important thing is to keep fighting to make your dream a reality. They are both doing very well academically and luckily in England they have the option to further their studies through the club, so if you do not make the grade football-wise you can still walk away with amazing memories and an education under your belt,” says Enrico.
“We are aware that this is only the initial stage of the journey and kids get released from clubs every season for various reasons. We are also under no illusion that the harsh reality is that the statistics show that fewer than 1% of kids make it to the English Premier league, but for us it’s about taking it one step at a time.
“We will continue to support the boys and motivate them without adding any unnecessary pressure, because they are only kids who are playing a game they love. When you meet [former England and Liverpool star] Steven Gerrard and other legends in the canteen then you realise what a big deal it is and why it is a massive achievement,” the proud dad added.
There is huge excitement, but also a large dose of reality for the road ahead.
“We thank God as a family for granting the boys this opportunity. We are proud parents of Gabriano and El Niño and trust God completely with what the future holds. I hope this will encourage young and old that dreams can come true. Do not let your circumstances or what people say about you dictate what you become in life. While you are still alive there is still a chance to dream big and make those dreams a reality.
“We would like to encourage the people of our community, and all communities in South Africa, to keep motivating their kids to help them achieve their goals and to keep God at the centre of their lives,” Shirese said of her footballing sons.