COLLEGE work, driving lessons, and holidays abroad with the family – Nathan Baker seems like your average teenager, but tonight he will make his first appearance for the England under 19s in a football fixture that is steeped in history and rivalry.

From Dines Green to Germany, Nathan’s rapid rise to prominence in the world of youth football has taken him on a rollercoaster ride of emotion and experiences that could have only seemed like a distant dream when he first kicked a football with his left boot on the parks and playing fields just around the corner from his home in Tudor Way more than 10 years ago.

In the last six months alone the 17-and-a-half-year-old has gone from the highs of signing his first professional contract with Aston Villa Football Club at the request of manager Martin O’Neill, to the lows of breaking down in an England training session with an injured ankle ligament in September, only to rupture his other ankle when he returned to action with his club just three weeks later.

But those closest to him, not least Nathan himself, never doubted the 6ft 3in defender would get another chance to impress, especially after he had such a productive pre-season which has since earned him call-ups to the Aston Villa first team squad on a regular basis.

Nathan’s dad Rob, who has worked at Joy Mining Machinery in Bromyard Road, St John’s for 38 years, said: “He has always been committed to football.

“I just don’t know what else he would have done to be honest.

“He is so laid back though and he doesn’t brag about any of it.

“Even when he was at Christopher Whitehead School a lot of his teachers didn’t know he was at Aston Villa at the time.

“He’s just worked his socks off in training and the hard work has paid off.

“It’s a good life if you can make it in football and Nathan realises this.”

Nathan’s football career kicked off when he started playing for Dines Green Devils as a six-year-old with his big brother Dan.

Even though his teammates were two years older than him, the Dines Green Primary School pupil stood head and shoulders above the rest as he dictated the play from midfield with his range of passing.

Scouts soon spotted the youngster’s talent and trials at Aston Villa followed but it has not all been plain sailing.

“Every year he would go in for an assessment,” said Mr Baker.

“A lot of people who he got friendly with would be released, which was unfortunate, but you are on your own at the end of the day.

“Every year went by and we were taking him up to Birmingham three times a week for training and then at the weekend on a Saturday.

“There were times when we were wondering whether it was all worth it.”

But encouragement from Villa legend Gordon Cowans spurred the family on to keep faith and that was then rewarded this September when Nathan’s scholarship deal was replaced by a professional contract lasting three years.

Nathan’s progress at Villa since last Christmas has earned him a squad number, 48, a regular seat on the first team bench in European matches, and even the praise of first team players.

Nathan’s under 18s coach Tony McAndrew was recently quoted in your Worcester News praising the defender’s attributes and attitude.

“You can’t teach people to want to put their head in there and win a football challenge,” he said.

“He wants to do that and for a defender that’s a fantastic quality.”

Understandably, Nathan’s parents are incredibly proud of what he has acheived so far and admit it seems a bit unreal when people ask them what he does for a living.

But they are keen to stress that Nathan, who now lives in Sutton Coldfield at the request of Aston Villa and is studying a course equivalent to two A-levels in sports science, knows he still has a lot to learn and improve upon if he is to become a top-class professional footballer.

Mr Baker said that means his son will have to continue to resist the classic teenage temptations.

“He’s not really interested in girls at the moment,” he said. “He doesn’t get distracted.

“The club does not like them going out clubbing and drinking.

“He does go to the pub with his friends to play a game of snooker but he doesn’t drink alcohol at all.”

Nathan’s mum Sylv said her youngest son is still very family-orientated and had the support of his brother Dan.

“Whenever Nathan comes home he is still the same child.

“He is down-to-earth and he still has those teenage moments.”

The friendly between England and Germany at Colchester United Football Club’s Weston Homes Community Stadium kicks off at 7pm tonight.