Teenage Dover forward Archie Hatcher has explained how he took his trial at Blackburn in his stride.
Hatcher spent a fortnight with the Championship outfit's under-18s following the conclusion of Whites’ 2023/24 season and the experience has left him hungry for more.
While it was a poor campaign for Dover as they were relegated from National League South, Hatcher made his mark, scoring the club’s goal-of-the-season in a 2-2 draw at Bath last September.
“It was a really good experience, playing with players that have come from different environments to myself,” said Hatcher, who made 18 first-team appearances and netted three goals for Dover.
“I got to play against different teams, higher up the leagues.
“We played against Nottingham Forest and Sunderland. We lost 2-1 against Forest and won 2-1 against Sunderland.
“Forest were a very good team.
“They were both at opposite ends of the table, so they were very different challenges. But it was a good experience.
“Like the majority of people in football, I want to try and make it to the top. That’s a real desire for me.”
Hatcher also even got to work alongside Blackburn’s first-team squad prior to their season-ending 2-0 victory at champions Leicester.
The 18-year-old said: “On the Friday before they were playing Leicester, we were doing set-pieces with them. It was a great experience.
“But I’m sure anyone would say the same, training with a first team at such a good level.”
While the Blackburn trial was a new experience for Hatcher, it wasn’t one he was overwhelmed by.
He said: “I took it in my stride.
“Personally, I hadn’t been on trial, staying away for two weeks like that, before.
“Learning how (professional) clubs look after players was a new experience, as well.
“But it wasn’t daunting. When I arrived, I was just excited to get going.”
For now, Hatcher is parking any aspirations he has to join the full-time game, though, as he aims to ensure Dover’s Isthmian Premier stay is a brief one.
“It’s a bit of a no-brainer to say that the last couple of years since Covid have been quite tough for the club,” he admitted. “But with the support of the fans - who were excellent last year - they can really help us again next season.
“Hopefully, that can help us get back into National League South and to keep us progressing up that league.
“I’m really looking forward to next season.”
Hatcher will again work closely with first-team assistant and Academy boss Mike Sandmann, as well as manager Jake Leberl, during 2024/25.
“Having Mike as our Academy manager, that’s good because he knows us really well,” he said. “We have worked with Jake, as well.
“He came in towards the end of last year. Working with him has been a really good experience.
“We now know how he likes to play.”
The upcoming campaign will also see Hatcher, who had a brief loan stint at Faversham this year, play Isthmian League football for the first time.
On the differences between Isthmian League football and playing in National League South, Hatcher said: “I cannot see there being a big difference.
“Maybe, the speed of the game. As you go lower down the leagues, the speed of the game can be a bit slower sometimes but that can contribute to it being more physical.
“Overall, I think it will be a really good experience for us as youngsters.”
Other players to progress from Sandmann’s youth team and set to stay in the first-team set-up are defender Matty Holness, midfielder Henry Young and striker George Nikaj.
“That’s a positive for us,” said Hatcher.
“We know each other, especially me, Matty and Youngy. We have played together for so long now.
“We know each other's strengths and weaknesses so, hopefully, we can use that to our advantage.”
