COHEN BRAMALL practiced with Arsenal’s first team, featuring World Cup winner Mesut Ozil, only a short time after his departure from car manufacturer Bentley.

The present left-back for Rotherham was left “gobsmacked” when he was instantly welcomed into Arsenal’s senior training sessions under Arsene Wenger in 2017.

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Bramall played part-time for Hednesford in the Northern League Premier Division while simultaneously working full-time at a car factory.

He shared with BBC Sport: “I was let go by Bentley on Tuesday [20 December], which felt surreal as I was unsure what to do next.

“My agent, Lee Payne, reached out the following day, telling me I had a trial at Arsenal. My immediate reaction was ‘what?’ – I was completely taken aback.

“He advised me to pack my things and head to a specific location, so I quickly got everything together in about an hour, rushed over, rested briefly, and before I knew it, I was training with the first team.

“It was astonishing how quickly things unfolded, how I met everyone, and how welcoming they were. I had to make the most of this opportunity.”

A trial match against Sheffield Wednesday U23s caught the eye of Arsenal scout Brian McDermott, who subsequently contacted Bramall’s agent.

By the next morning, he found himself training with Arsenal’s first team rather than just being with the reserves.

He recalled: “I was thrown into a 5-vs-5 match with some of the world’s top players, including Ozil, Alexis Sanchez, and Petr Cech. It was simply unbelievable.

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“The intensity and pace were phenomenal. It was an unforgettable experience for me.”

He also participated in a reserve match against Crystal Palace.

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Just two days later, Arsenal made a formal offer to Hednesford Town and secured the 20-year-old left-back.

The deal was finalized for a reported fee of £40,000 in January.

Wenger commented at the time: “Bramall is a young and promising left-back who, while possibly lacking experience at the top level, possesses superb qualities.

“He shows remarkable speed, has a powerful left foot, and exhibits a strong desire to succeed. Overall, he represents a very exciting prospect.”

Nonetheless, the player from Crewe spent the remainder of the season with the U23 squad.

Bramall made his senior debut in a friendly against an A-League team Sydney FC in July 2017.

Following that, he and Arsenal teammate Carl Jenkinson were loaned to Championship club Birmingham City in August.

Upon returning to Arsenal, he played three times for their under-21 team in the 2018–19 EFL Trophy.

Eventually, the club revealed that he would be released when his contract concluded in the summer of 2019.

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Climbing the EFL Ladder

Upon completing his time at Arsenal, Bramall signed a two-year contract with League Two team Colchester United in 2019.

In August of that year, he received his first-ever red card in professional football for violent conduct during Colchester‘s 3–0 victory over Swindon Town in the EFL Cup.

By December, he scored his first professional goal with an expertly taken free kick in a 3–0 win against Carlisle United.

Next, he secured a multi-year agreement with League One club Lincoln City in February 2021.

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Bramall then climbed the football hierarchy again when Championship club Rotherham activated his release clause from Lincoln.

Now 28 years old, he secured a position in the starting eleven, making 75 Championship appearances before Rotherham’s relegation in May.

Since then, he has found himself playing second fiddle to former Manchester United youth player Reece James under manager Steve Evans.

He told the Rotherham Advertiser: “This presents challenges and is beneficial for my character. If I recognize that my performance hasn’t been up to par, I will definitely admit that.”

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