Wycombe Wanderers new signing Ryan Cole eager to make an impression with League One club

It was not so long ago that Ryan Cole was jumping the fence at the Tristel Global Stadium to do some extra training.

Unaware of the gate code to gain access to the facility at Newmarket Town Football Club, the teenager and his friend found their own method of entry.

Yet rather than discourage that eagerness to hone his craft, once they had learned of Cole’s acrobatics, the club offered him use of their pitch when he wanted to put in some additional hours.

Everyone connected with the Jockeys was well aware of the potential that the former Newmarket Academy pupil possessed – and so it will have been of no surprise to anyone when confirmation came through last week of Cole’s move to Sky Bet League One promotion hopefuls Wycombe Wanderers.

On his fence-jumping escapades, the 19-year-old said: “It was the season before we got promoted (at Newmarket). I didn’t know the code to the door to get in so me and my mate would climb over and we’d play for a few hours.

“I did it a few times and then I got caught out! But the club was great and said if I ever wanted to use the ground to let them know. I eventually got the code so that stopped me having to jump the fence again.”

As the ink dried on his first professional deal, Bury St Edmunds-born Cole afforded himself the opportunity to reflect on the past.

While the left-footed midfielder has been connected to the set-up at Newmarket since the age of six, Cole also had spells at both Norwich City and Ipswich Town, as well as undergoing a trial at Cambridge United.

For one reason or another a permanent position at those Football League clubs never materialised, and consequently Cole questioned whether his full-time dream would ever come to fruition.

That is why when Wycombe gave the green light after an impressive trial period – which featured a friendly against Aldershot Town – the news was even sweeter.

“Teams have sniffed a bit and I had a trial period with Cambridge United for a few games not that long ago, but there was no luck there,” added Cole, who attended Laureate Community Academy.

“Growing up I’ve been in and out of different academies and you do question if it will ever happen, so finally hearing good news was really nice.

“Hearing that news after some of those setbacks, I was overjoyed in that moment. I had started to think it might not happen.”

What those aforementioned ‘setbacks’ allowed Cole to do was play men’s football on a regular basis.

Newmarket manager Michael Shinn made Cole part of the first-team squad at the age of 16 and he quickly became a regular fixture in the starting line-up.

He leaves Newmarket having made 110 senior appearances – scoring 21 goals – and he was a key part of the previous campaign’s historic promotion to the Isthmian League North Division.

And Shinn’s influence in Cole’s development cannot be overstated.

Cole, who recently followed in the footsteps of Newcastle United goalkeeper Nick Pope by graduating from West Suffolk College’s Football Academy, said: “Shinny gave me my chance when I was 16. He watched me play in the Eastern Junior Alliance days (for Newmarket) and was quite excited to get me into the first-team environment.

“I owe him a big thanks because he’s really helped me to improve as a player. He’s always been there for me whenever I’m struggling or I’m not playing so well.

“He’s helped me through it and I couldn’t have asked for a better manager.”

But now is when the hard work really starts. Living away from home for the first time in digs, Cole is well aware the he has to knuckle down and prove himself in the cut-throat world of professional football.

There is the potential for a loan move this month to boost his match minutes at a higher level, while getting a full pre-season under his belt in the summer will also aid the cause.

“I’m getting used to it. Looking at the other players in training and then looking at myself, I’m not too far away,” said Cole.

“Once I’ve properly settled in, I’m training every day and I’m playing matches at a higher level, that will really help me to develop.

“Hopefully as time goes on and I continue to develop, I can look at securing my spot in the first-team squad. Getting signed is just the start. I’ve got to build on what I’ve already done and hopefully take it that step further.

“Once I’ve potentially gone out on loan and played a few games at a decent level, that will be a big help and pre-season is massive. That’s when I can get closer to first-team football.”