The short story of my time with Marcia Lewis and Kate Iorpenda, who led a talk to parents of young footballing talents for their organisation The No1Fan.club, is that my mind was opened to a side of the sport that very few people ever experience. For those that do, both the challenges it presents and the opportunities that can arrive carry with them excitement and dangers.

Both Marcia and Kate are attempting to provide the education that families desperately need through a medium of workshops, talks, and information on their website and through the form of podcasts. When listening to the ninety minutes-plus of guidance, the room was filled with nodding heads and at some points even gasps with some of the realities that were delivered.

Marcia, the mother of Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Kate, the mother of George and Tom Iorpenda of Ipswich and Huddersfield Town, respectively, have made this a passion that transcends their roles as parents while harnessing the experiences of being them. Who better, therefore, to be educating those finding this very niche reality completely alien to them?

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From business to social media and even the mental health of both the parents and the wellbeing of the players, the approach was a holistic masterclass. Readers will likely be familiar with the sheer number of budding starlets who do not make it.

Statistics were shared to reinforce the point, grounding those who perhaps had already allowed their imaginations to run away. 50 per cent of youngsters will fall out of the system by 16 years of age.

However, even more startling is the knowledge that only 9 per cent of young players will make a professional appearance. Remember this is just stepping onto the field once for a side which, as any fan will know, is no guarantee of a career.

Think of how many names get lost into the ether despite making a cameo in a League Cup third-round clash or even just a pre-season friendly. Tempering expectations while managing the excitement and potential of what this lucrative career can bring was threaded throughout but not losing sight of the benefits that this business and the sport is most certainly a business these days, can bring to families.

Put yourself into the shoes of some of these parents, who are in many cases football-mad and in others simply not into the sport whatsoever. The opportunity for your child to break into this incredibly coveted space emerges – but whatever an individual’s passion the unknown can be just as daunting.

With how rare it is that youngsters progress through to a senior setup and make a career from their talent, offers and contracts coming in at the early stages can be wildly tempting. So many can sign with a notable badge and not think twice about what it is the parent, and their child might be locking themselves into.

What I took away most is that ultimately there are limits to the knowledge that can be expelled. Not because of any limitations on the part of Marcia and Kate, but simply because of how unique and individual experiences will be for every single family.

What No1Fan.club is so fantastic at is providing such a broad range of raw yet enlightening truths with the help of experts who are either coaches in the field, heads of academies like Arsenal’s Per Mertesacker or just fellow parents.

A clip was shared that drew those aforementioned gasps I alluded to earlier. Alejandra Sarmiento, a parent who had been interviewed on No1Fan.club's podcast ‘Behind The Boots’ which can be watched here, told the story of how at a training session for what was described as an age bracket between seven and eight, a well-dressed father had turned up and explained how he had, the weekend before, been taking their son to car dealerships and how they were planning on looking at nice neighbourhoods in the future – effectively showcasing the life that he believed was awaiting him and his child.

To fast-forward, and the full clip is available in the link above, Alejandra explains how after two more sessions the father’s son was dropped by the academy. That got some looks in the room from parents, accompanied in some cases by a sharp intake of breath and a sudden silence of realisation.

The financial and time-consuming pressures of the life of having a child in the academy or grassroots system were, for me, an eye-opener too. With as many as four or even five evenings a week taken up by practice or matches and certainly not always nearby; and feet getting larger every year requiring new expensive boots – it is easy to see how the promises made by brands and agents can be so tempting when a pair of boots are peanuts to them but everything to those receiving them and their families.

It was, therefore, the tips that were sprinkled throughout the session that would equip parents best for these challenges. Building relationships with other parents, to car share and save money where possible.

Picking the right moments to speak with coaches about concerns or advice and not in the immediate aftermath of matches, even if perhaps there was a disagreement about a decision. Reinforcing the power parents still have, the right to say no to a club and not losing sight of still being that parent to their child.

Marcia and Kate were provided with feedback after the event anonymously and it is fair to say that it speaks for itself. Ratings across the board described the talk as being better than expected.

One parent wrote: “Great insights and also to meet other parents. So, so valuable on a difficult but very rewarding journey.”

Another responded: “Two amazing, inspiring women and mums who are so relatable. This is exactly what academy football needs. A resource and community that feels approachable and tangible. Leaving feeling so inspired and also less scared about all the things I don’t yet know! It will be ok!”

Lastly: “It was nice to listen to other parents’ footballing experiences and receive advice on how you can best support your child through the academy system. Thoroughly enjoyed the session and I look forward to being part of the No1Fan.club.”

I echo those final words, in particular, I did indeed thoroughly enjoy the session even as someone not with a child in the system. I came away educated and well-equipped were it to ever cross my path but from a journalistic standpoint, with a better appreciation for the journeys the players I speak to on a weekly basis have gone through but also behind the scenes what their families face.

This level of experience, community and education has perhaps never been available to this degree and for parents entering the system now, in the future or even those already in it, the No1Fan.club is an absolute must-have partner.

You can visit the website here and also find them on Instagram.