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Sholing\u2019s FA Vase victory may sound like a surprise inspiration for one of football\u2019s top young talents but watching his uncles win at Wembley helped power Levi Colwill\u2019s rise to prominence.<\/p>\n
The 20-year-old centre-back is on the brink of making his senior England debut this month as an \u201camazing year\u201d continues for the homegrown Chelsea star.<\/p>\n
Colwill flourished on loan at Brighton and went on to win the Under-21 European Championship over the summer, before signing a new long-term deal and making his debut for the club he joined aged eight.<\/p>\n
Chelsea is his team but Southampton is his home, where the defender\u2019s family ties to local non-league side Sholing have left a lasting impact.<\/p>\n
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Watching the team was a regular part of his childhood and the pinnacle arrived in 2014, when he was mascot as uncles Barry and Byron Mason won the FA Vase against West Auckland Town.<\/p>\n
Asked if that day at Wembley made him realise this is what he wanted to do, Colwill said: \u201cDefinitely.<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember just waking out with them, feeling the nerves. I saw how serious they were and I remember the celebrations after.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was just like a family thing with their team. Everyone was a family and I just love that feeling.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo being a little boy, I remember walking out and looking up and thinking \u2018I\u2019ve got to be here one day, I\u2019ve got to play here \u2013 I can\u2019t let my uncles play here and not me\u2019. Hopefully one day that happens with England.\u201d<\/p>\n
Colwill left Chelsea training early that day in time to get to Wembley, where he changed into his Sholing kit and waited in the tunnel for his uncles to walk past and lead him out.<\/p>\n
He described the 1-0 win as \u201cone of the best feelings ever\u201d and nine years on the ties to Sholing remain as strong as ever.<\/p>\n
Uncle Barry may have retired but Byron Mason is still going strong and is closing in on 700 games for Sholing, where Dan \u2013 the youngest of the Mason brothers \u2013 is scoring for fun.<\/p>\n
\u201cI still go there whenever I can,\u201d Colwill said. \u201cI haven\u2019t been this season yet, but I went a few times last season.<\/p>\n
\u201cI like going to their ground or even I like going on away days. If I have a chance and they all love me, so it\u2019s good.\u201d<\/p>\n
Colwill will have to miss at least two more Sholing games due to England\u2019s Euro 2024 qualifier against Ukraine on Saturday and the friendly at Scotland three days later.<\/p>\n
The defender joked he is \u201cgoing to have to play catch up\u201d when he returns from an international break that many expect to see the highly-regarded defender make his senior debut in.<\/p>\n
Colwill has earned praise for his confidence and composure on the ball, but it has not always been that way, describing himself as \u201cvery erratic\u201d up until as recently as three years ago.<\/p>\n
The defender did not want the ball and said \u201cif it came to me I\u2019m booming it first time\u201d, but something clicked and the internal drive for more has powered his development.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think I\u2019m hard on myself, definitely,\u201d Colwill said. \u201cYou know, after games if you had a tough day it\u2019ll play on my head for the rest of the night, and I think I\u2019m someone that has to watch the game back as soon as possible.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause if not, I\u2019ll just be laying there trying to sleep and I\u2019m just remembering things. It\u2019s not a nice feeling.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I think that\u2019s where I push myself. I think not many people can get to me with what they say or anything, so I have to get myself there and I think it works the best.<\/p>\n
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\u201cSo, when I\u2019ve told myself \u2018you\u2019ve had a bad day at the office\u2019, I feel like I have something to prove against myself.<\/p>\n
\u201cLike \u2018you\u2019re better than this\u2019 and I think that\u2019s why I\u2019ve done so well so far.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Asked if he brings works home with him, he said: \u201cYeah, 100 per cent because, you know, football\u2019s my life. It\u2019s my life, as simple as that, so being at home I can\u2019t switch off.<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t learned how to switch off yet, anyway, so, yeah, I\u2019m always trying to improve at home whenever I can.\u201d<\/p>\n