Four years on from making his Fulham First Team debut Matthew Briggs finally feels like a professional footballer.
As one of the country’s brightest prospects and the Premier League’s youngest ever player, the weight of expectation had long rested on his shoulders, but after impressing in a handful of appearances last season, the Wandsworth-born defender had seemingly come of age.
And the 20-year-old England youth international has started the current campaign in similar fashion, catching the eye with a series of mature performances.
His first appearance for the Club has been well documented. Since, his path to the First Team may not have been as smooth as he would have hoped, but in recent months Briggs has re-emerged as a serious contender.
“It’s true, things probably haven’t gone as I thought they would,” admits Matthew. “As a result, there were times when I didn’t really feel part of things. Although I was in and around the senior squad, it’s not until you get a regular run of games that you fully understand what it is like.
“But I do feel part of the set-up now – I feel like a professional footballer. Every player wants to be out there wearing the shirt of his team and I’m no different. It did feel like something was missing and having been given the chance of late, I’m determined to make the most of it and take the opportunity.
“I love the buzz in the changing room ahead of kick-off, and although I still get butterflies, I feel a lot more confident walking out onto that pitch - it’s an incredible feeling.”
Cautious of not dwelling too much on the past, the youngster is now focused on the present having put a testing couple of seasons behind him. With a number of injury fears now quashed, he has had to bide his time and be patient. The wait finally appears to be over.
“It has been frustrating, but I can’t think about that now,” he insists. “I’d rather just concentrate on playing football and the situation that I currently find myself in. I’ve always wanted to play football for a living and if I am to make that dream come true then I have to keep working.
“I could have let my head drop, but the moment you allow that to happen is the moment the dream can slip away. I’ve just got on with it and tried to improve as much as I can, working on every aspect of my game. I do feel like I have come a long way, but that said, there’s still a lot more that I need to do and I will continue to chase that dream.”
For the first time in a while, Briggs entered this pre-season in peak condition, and having already doubled his senior appearance total this season, it is fair to say that the 2011/12 campaign looks set to be his breakthrough – the season that he really establishes himself in the white of Fulham.
“I’m feeling very positive right now and, touch wood, things continue that way,” he says. “I’ve certainly had my fair share of injuries and after starting last season on the treatment table it took a while for me to get going again.
“It’s nice to start the season fresh because the summer months are an important time for a player, it’s the period when you find your momentum. This is a competitive game, and when you start a new campaign injured you’re already at a disadvantage.
“Fortunately I got my chance and although last season was very rewarding, I am hopeful that I can make even more of a statement this year. Martin Jol has come in and thankfully he’s continued to show the faith in me – now I want to repay him and the Club by doing well.”
In Jol, Briggs is now working with his fourth Fulham Manager and while every player has something to prove to the new man in charge, the likes of Danny Murphy, Simon Davies and Clint Dempsey have years of experience to draw upon. For the youngsters eager to make an impression, it can be a time of uncertainty.
But the Manager has seemingly been taken by what he has seen and has, in fact, laid down a marker for the likeable youngster by declaring that he’s “not just a talented boy anymore”. It is a challenge Briggs is determined to meet.
“I’m 20 years of age now,” he explains. “And although that is still young, I’ve been training with the First Team for a while now. I like to think that I have the talent, and now it’s up to me to turn my potential into the real thing.
“I’m getting the experience now and it looks like I’m in the Manager’s thoughts, which is very pleasing. He’s raised the bar and hopefully I can make the jump. He’s certainly given the younger players a lift and the chance is there for us.
“To be working with my fourth Manager is hard because it’s been a case of building myself up again and starting from scratch. The last Manager brought me into the team and when he left I didn’t know if the opportunity would come again.
“But when I heard that Martin Jol was arriving I was really excited because I had been told that he liked giving young players an opportunity – and that seems to be the case.”
Primarily a left-back, Briggs boasts desirable attributes at both ends of the pitch. Sure, he can defend, but he’s also extremely comfortable on the ball, not lacking in pace, can pass, is athletic and can get up and down the pitch.
His effortless glide even moved one member of the Fulham Academy to describe him as a “Rolls-Royce player” – in many ways he is the modern day defender.
“I’m a bit different in the sense that I’m bigger than most full-backs,” explains Matthew. “They tend to be smaller and quite agile. But I like to think that I’ve got more to my game and that it’s a positive that I’m strong and athletic.
“I’m happy with the ball at my feet which isn’t always the case for defenders, but that’s probably because I first started out as a left winger. As I got older I moved further down the pitch, so it’s funny how the Manager has moved me forward more recently.
“Playing on the left of midfield was a bit strange at first, but I’m enjoying it. In a lot of ways you’re more involved, for a start I’m constantly looking around rather than just ahead as you tend to do as a full-back.
“It’s all part of the learning process though and something that will only make me a better player.”
Fulham Academy Director – Huw Jennings
“Matthew would have first come to supporters’ attention when he made his debut as one of the youngest players ever to play in the Premier League – away to Middlesbrough as a 16-year-old. In Matthew’s case he’s had to wait a long time for his chance to establish himself.
“There’s been a combination of circumstances for that. He’s had difficulty with injuries, players have got ahead of him, he’s had to deal with the demands of progressing as a young player. The line graph is variable in terms of progress; it’s not straight by any stretch of the imagination.
“He’s always had the talent and had always the potential but he’s got to put that into practice. Now it’s hopefully coming together for Matthew.
“He’s started to play a slightly more offensive role. So he’s demonstrating that side of his game and that’s certainly positive.”