Bukayo Saka enjoys heartwarming reunion with his first ever grassroots football coach… as ‘honoured’ Arsenal and England star opens up on the impact he had on his career

Bukayo Saka reunited with his first ever grassroots football coach this week ahead of Arsenal‘s Premier League clash with Crystal Palace on Saturday.

The 23-year-old winger, who has established himself as one of the Gunners’ most important players in recent years, caught up with his former childhood coach Colin Nixon and opened up on the influence he had on his career.

Celebrating the positive impact coaches can have on individuals and their local communities, Saka and Nixon reunited as part of the Chase Football Coaching Programme and took a heartwarming trip down memory lane.

Nixon first noticed Saka’s talent when the Arsenal star was just six years old playing for local football club Greenford Celtic.

After the two enjoyed a heartwarming reconciliation, where Saka told Nixon that his parents still ask after him, the coach put his former student through a old training drills before joking: ‘He’s still got it’.

Saka said: ‘It’s an honour to link up with Colin again and it’s really nice to see a familiar face from where I started this whole journey.’

Nixon first noticed Saka’s talent when he was just six years old playing for Greenford Celtic 

Responding, Nixon continued: ‘I feel so privileged and honoured that I actually saw you back then, where you started from. When he made his England debut, being an Arsenal and England fan, it was phenomenal.’

Saka revealed that among the ‘special’ shirts he has displayed in his house, which includes ones of Thierry Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo, he has exhibited his old Greenford Celtic shirt to remind him of his roots. 

‘When I came to the game, he always made everyone feel so confident and loved and supported,’ Saka said of Nixon.

‘That’s all you can ask for at that age. Coaches have a really big impact on players at a young age, but that’s only if coaches create the right environment.’

After rising through the youth ranks at Arsenal, Saka made his senior debut for the Gunners in 2018, coming on as a substitute in their Europa League match against Vorskla Poltava.

Six years later, Saturday’s clash with Crystal Palace will mark his 250 appearance for the club, with Saka contributing 67 goals and 63 assists for the club during that time.

Reflecting on the reunion, Saka added: ‘I think for me, it’s a very nice moment if I’m honest, because coming to Arsenal and coming into the first team and playing, and now, we’re competing at the highest level, you know it’s all happened so quickly. 

‘It was 17 years ago since I started to train with him. For me, that’s a long time ago. I remember when I was 17 and it was only few years ago. 

Saka, 23, has chalked up 67 goals and 63 assists for Arsenal in almost 250 senior appearances

The Arsenal winger explained to Nixon the impact he has had on his glittering career to date

The England star admitted his Greenford Celtic shirt is still displayed at his house 17 years on

‘So 17 years ago since I started to play football with him, was quite a nice memory. And yeah, it was nice to catch-up with him and see how he is now.

‘Obviously he was the manager of the team. And in that team, he gave nine or 10 players an opportunity to come and train every weekend and play matches and have fun and be happy and take them away from something else they could’ve been doing which could’ve potentially not been as positive for their lives. 

‘Starting with myself, you know, I’m here today because he was one of the people that gave me an opportunity to play football and from then on I got scouted.

‘I think him and all the coaches in the local communities, they have a big role in helping the kids of this generation, for sure.’