Old Trafford trip was a '˜dream' for Horsham-based Albion youngster Sanders

Horsham-based footballer Max Sanders said it was a dream come true to step out onto the Old Trafford pitch on Saturday.
Max Sanders takes part in Brighton & Hove Albions pre-match warm-up on the pitch at Old Trafford. Picture by PW Sporting PhotographyMax Sanders takes part in Brighton & Hove Albions pre-match warm-up on the pitch at Old Trafford. Picture by PW Sporting Photography
Max Sanders takes part in Brighton & Hove Albions pre-match warm-up on the pitch at Old Trafford. Picture by PW Sporting Photography

The Brighton & Hove Albion under-23 midfielder was included in the first-team squad for the first time in the side’s Emirates FA Cup quarter-final tie against Manchester United.

Chris Hughton named the 19-year-old on the bench and while he did not get on as Albion suffered a 2-0 defeat, he was delighted with an ‘amazing’ experience at ‘the biggest club in the world’.

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Sanders, a former Trafalgar, Greenway and Tanbridge House School pupil, started playing football at the age of four in Horsham Park under the watchful eye of local coach Ted Streeter, a former Albion youth development officer.

Having played at AFC Wimbledon from the age of six, Sanders eventually went for a successful trial at Brighton aged eight and went on to play in the under-18 side having signed a deal in 2015.

On travelling with the squad, he said: “I’ve been at the club since I was eight and since then I’ve always wanted to have that involvement in the first team. I was so happy to be involved.

“I found out that I would be involved with the first team after training on the Thursday and Paul Trollope said, ‘you’re travelling tomorrow by the way.’ I was just buzzing when he told me that. He told me the squad list was going up at 1pm, but was pretty sure that I’d be travelling.

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“It was the first time I had ever travelled with the first team for a game. It really hit me when I was at the ground, and it felt like a dream.

“When I went out onto the pitch, it was so surreal and there were so many fans there. I’d never had that experience before. All the lads were saying that it was a fantastic place to be involved with the team for the first time. It’s the biggest club in the world, so to go to a packed stadium with a lot of Brighton fans there too was unbelievable. My girlfriend, my parents, my grandad and my agent were all there at the game, and even though I didn’t get on, it was an amazing experience.

“I’ve had loads of messages from my team-mates in the under-23s saying, ‘well done, you deserve it,’ which has been really good. A lot of people that I’ve known from ages ago also messaged me, which was really nice.

“Now I want to try and keep playing well for the under-23s and keep the unbeaten run going for them. Hopefully I can get on the bench for the first team again and maybe make my debut.”

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Max’s dad Jon said: “It was fantastic news that he was to be travelling with the first team, he’s worked so hard to get to this point, my wife and I are very proud of him.

“My wife and I, his grandfather and Max’s girlfriend, travelled up to Manchester, and got a message an hour before kick off that he was on the bench.

“It was a mixture of happiness and nerves as it started to sink in what was happening.”

Sanders is making similar progression to fellow local Albion under-23 player James Tilley.

The Billingshurst youngster, who made his first-team debut back in 2015 and netted his first goal in their 1-0 Carabao Cup win against Barnet last year, was also coached by Streeter as a youth.