"I've got to prove myself at this level" - Town striker Zak Emmerson on his debut as a 15-year-old, joining Brighton and moving to Halifax

Just ask the Walsall defender he clattered into on his professional debut for Oldham Athletic, 73 days after his 15th birthday, back in October 2019.

"When I came on, the first thing I did was smash the centre-half because I felt I had to make an impact," says the striker, who joined FC Halifax Town this summer.

"It was amazing, it was a shock. I was in school the day before and I had to miss a day of school.

"It was all a dream come true. I was in school on the Wednesday morning.

"I wasn't really nervous, because you're so young, you don't really believe what's going on."

Emmerson didn't hang about in making his senior bow, becoming the second youngest Football League debutant ever, and his career has continued at that break-neck pace.

The 19-year-old, from Cheshire, was at boyhood club Manchester United's academy as a kid.

"It was amazing, but I feel like joining Oldham was what really made me, it was the best decision I could have made," he said.

He joined The Latics aged 12, and started working with Pete Wild and Chris Millington aged 14 in their youth set-up.

"They were the ones who gave me my debut in the youth team," he said.

"They were great, really good with me.

"I can't wait to work with Milly again now."

Two more appearances for Oldham followed before he moved to Premier League side Brighton for an undisclosed fee just before he turned 16.

"I had an inkling (of Brighton's interest)," he said. "It was in Covid time, so it was touch and go.

"I found it tough at first, I moved into digs. But I think once you deal with it, you deal with it.

"Obviously moving down south, away from your family, at 15, it's going to have an effect on anyone."

And the price tag?

"I don't think about that to be honest, because at the end of the day, that's irrelevent to me," he said.

"I've just got to perform on the pitch, no matter if someone's paid a pound or however much."

Emmerson trained with the first-team a few times at Brighton.

"It was surreal, training with Premier League players, a bit of a pinch-me moment when you look back to being at Oldham," he said.

"For me, being a United fan, growing up watching someone like Danny Welbeck and to train alongside him, it's something you don't ever think will happen."

Emmerson was at Brighton for just over two years.

"It was very different," he said, "but I felt like I improved as a player.

"I went in with an injury and then after that, I did really well.

"I felt like I had the physical side at Oldham, so it more the tactical side I learned at Brighton."

It was while with The Seagulls that Emmerson was called up to play for England's under 18 team.

"That's something which I can't really describe, because it's everyone's dream isn't it," he said.

"To say I've done that is something I'll be very proud of for the rest of my life.

"I played Wales in a friendly, I played a friendly during Covid against Watford's under 21s and I also played against either Russia or Norway in Spain.

"If you go from Brighton to England, it's obviously a different level and I feel that, once you do that and you know you can play alongside those players, it gives you added confidence."

In his final season with Brighton, Emmerson netted 20 goals in 26 appearances for the development squad, but still felt the first-team was too far away.

"I thought I did well, I just looked at my pathway and thought 'I'm going to have to go out and play games'," he said.

"Obviously a big factor in moving to Blackpool was being closer to home.

"It wasn't a deciding factor in me leaving Brighton though."

Another undisclosed fee saw him move to Blackpool, then in the Championship, in 2022.

But injuries would prove disruptive.

"A few niggly ones with my back, I had a concussion and a knee injury which kept me out for eight months," he said.

"Nightmare."

Emmerson was training with the first-team when the injury happened, scuppering what might have been a breakthrough.

"It was coming towards the end of a season where lads were getting chances," he said.

"It was obviously disappointing but it's football isn't it, there's no point sulking about it.

"It's tough, and you can be sad for the first few weeks and then you don't get used to it, but the motivation comes back to get back onto the pitch.

"It's obviously disapponting but if you sulk about it, it's not going to get you anywhere."

Emmerson only got back playing at the start of last season, and a loan spell at Eastbourne Borough in the National League South, where he netted five times in 11 games, suggested he was back in the old routine.

"That was just regular game-time, because it's important after an injury to get your fitness back up," he said.

"There's no point playing every now and then, you've got to get going and get playing again.

"I got a little injury at the back end of my time there, but I really enjoyed my time at Eastbourne."

The forward has no doubts he is back to the same player he was before that prolonged spell on the sidelines.

"Definitely. Obviously it takes time but the main thing was getting match fitness, getting a run of games," he said.

"But I know in myself I'm perfectly ready now.

"I enjoyed my time at Blackpool and things didn't go as I wanted, but I'm here now and I couldn't be more excited to get going."

Emmerson has been reunited at The Shay with Halifax boss Millington, five years on from their time together at Oldham.

"Obviously I spoke to Milly over the summer and everything he said just sounded perfect to me," he said.

"I know him as a man and I know what he's about.

"It all sounded like the perfect fit, and how the develop young players here is a massive thing.

"That's the main thing, if you go somewhere where you know you're going to get a chance to play.

"You've got to back it up yourself but to have that chance in the first place is a very good thing."

Jamie Stott was the latest in a growing line of players to graduate into the EFL from The Shaymen when he joined Morecambe this summer.

"It's crazy," Emmerson said of Town's track record. "That's obviously what everyone wants to do but for the moment, I'm just focused on this season and doing as well as I can for Halifax."

That means one thing for Emmerson: scoring goals.

"I just love it," he said, "that's my favourite thing.

"It's what I love to do and it's what I'm good at, so hopefully I'll be able to score a few this season.

"I feel like if I can get regular minutes and perform and prove to the manager that I deserve to play, I think the goals will come.

"At the end of the day, I've got to prove myself at this level.

"I've played higher but that's in youth football, I need to go out and prove myself in men's football.

"I know I'm only young but I'm a physical player, I'm someone who likes to get stuck in.

"I'm a big lad and I can mix it."

Just ask that Walsall defender.

On what Town fans can expect from him, Ermmerson said: "Hard work, goals and I like to run in-behind. And I'll do my bit for the team."

Emmerson might have crammed a lot into his senior career so far, but National League centre-halves will need to watch out, because his sole focus is what lies ahead.

"Looking back is good but that's all irrelevant now," he said.

"I don't really care what's gone on in the past. All I'm focused on now is get my head down and play."