West Brom academy keeper rewarded for carrying on after fracturing pelvis
Academy goalkeeper Brad House has been rewarded for sticking with football after breaking his pelvis by signing his first professional contract with Albion.
The 18-year-old, who was let go by Arsenal before development keeping coach Mark Naylor snapped him up at the age of 16, contemplated giving up his dream during 14 months on the sidelines when he was 15-years-old.
But the teenager, who reckons he gets his handy work from his netball-playing mother, is now delighted he decided to keep going.
Although he’s pleased with his first pro deal at the Baggies, he’s acutely aware that this is just the start of the hard work.
Eager to get out on loan to a lower-league club as soon as possible, he wants to play in the ‘real world’.
“It’s a massive dream for me,” House, who started his career at home-town club Worthing United, told the Worthing Herald. “I had massive doubts about whether I’d become a professional footballer when I was at Arsenal.
“I broke my pelvis and was out injured for 14 months aged 15, so a lot of thoughts went through my head, like do I give up and go down an alternative route with college and Uni?
“After the injury, I came back, got fit again and just hit the ground running.
“However Arsenal brought in a Portuguese lad because I wasn’t what they were looking for. That’s just football, it’s ruthless but West Brom obviously thought I was one for them and took me on.”
House is one of several exciting goalkeepers coming through the ranks at the Baggies.
Australian under-20 international Jasko Keranovic and Ethan Ross have also agreed one-year deals, while Alex Palmer has cemented his place as first-team third-choice keeper for now.
But House is hoping he can make a name for himself next season.
“For the first three months hopefully I’ll get a run of games with the under-23s,” he said. “If they go well, hopefully a club in a lower league will come in for me.
“That will be a good test because playing first team football in my first year as a professional is probably what I need – just to get out there into the real world and play men’s football where it will be a lot more physical.”
Although House gets his hands from his mother, he says he owes a lot to his father, who played at Worthing United and coached him as a kid.
“There was no one else to go in goal and my dad asked if I fancied it,” he explained. “You do have to be crazy to go in goal. You have to chuck your head at people’s feet and be a bit tapped in the head but I love it.
“My mum’s always said I get my handling skills from her because she’s a netballer. But my dad, who has been a massive influence for me, did a lot of coaching with me when I was younger and is probably the reason why I am where I am now.
“I aspire to be a Premier League goalkeeper and maybe even an international goalkeeper. To play for your country is a dream every kid has.
“For the short term, I’m looking ahead to next year and to go out on loan and play under-23s football.
“Medium-term, if I do well, hopefully England will give me a chance to play under-19s football. The long term aim is to aspire to be a Premier League goalkeeper.”
