Jermaine Francis arrives at Sutton United full of excitement, belief and a clear sense of purpose as he begins the next chapter of his career.
The midfielder has made the permanent switch from Hartlepool United in a move motivated by the chance to return closer to home, having originally moved up to the North-East in the summer.
After taking part in his first training sessions with the club, Francis sat down with Sutton United FCtv to discuss his journey to the VBS Community Stadium.
“It feels great,” he said. “I know a lot about the club, and I know the manager as well – how he plays and what he wants from his teams – so that really excited me. Especially coming down here too, closer to home. I’m just grateful to be here.”
“A few people played a part in it, I played with Bes [Topallaj] at Hartlepool and I’ve played against Lewis Simper a couple of times – a very good player as well. But most importantly, the manager spoke to me directly. He said he wanted me here, wanted to give me the chance to show my ability and give me game time. I’m really grateful for that.”
Francis brings solid non-league experience with him and feels ready to make an impact, and discussed his path from the lower echelons of non-league, which saw him turn out for the likes of DTFC and Hashtag United earlier on in his career, before making the step up to the National League with stints at Barnet, Braintree Town and Hartlepool, the latter two seeing him appear for the first time against Sutton.
“I was at Chelmsford City two years ago. I was at Barnet and went on loan to Braintree, so I’ve shown what I can do at this level,” he said.
“Then I went to Hartlepool – things didn’t quite work out there in terms of minutes – but I’m here now and ready to finish the season strong.”
The 23-year old notably scored against Sutton in the 3-3 draw with Hartlepool back in October, giving him his first taste of Chris Agutter’s style months before the Head Coach chose to bring him to his new club.
“The system [at Sutton] is good,” he said. “We [Hartlepool] had to switch formations in that game because we had to match up. I like the way the team plays out from the back and how ruthless they want to be going forward.”
“Hopefully I can work my way into the side. I know the manager can improve me, the lads can improve me, and I can help them as well.”
Having begun his career in originally in academy football with QPR and Reading, the midfielder went on to touch on the lessons he’s learned from playing senior football, having opted for the path of non-league after his departure from the Madejski Stadium.
“It’s a massive difference, academy football is very different to non-league. When I first went into non-league, I thought it might be easier, but you get humbled quickly. You take kicks, you get bruises. I’m used to that now.”
“I’m at the top end of the non-league pyramid and my aim is to keep working my way up to the Football League – and hopefully one day the Premier League.”
Most notably, a standout spell with Hashtag United helped raise his profile and confidence, with the Tags of course renowned for the exposure they have compared to other clubs in non-league, having begun as a YouTube team following their formation in 2016 under Spencer Owen, before making the move into the non-league pyramid only two years later.
Francis subsequently got the chance to play a key role within their early history, scoring ten goals in 26 games as they won promotion Isthmian League Premier Division, while he displayed his confidence within himself by describing himself as ‘the best player int he division that year’.
“It was massive – great exposure. I want to thank the club and the manager there for allowing me to express myself. They always said to me, ‘try to be the best player in the league’ – I felt that season I was, in my own opinion, and I’m trying to continue that now.”
“Hashtag gave me a big platform. A lot of managers and players know what kind of player I am, but I’ve improved since then and feel more like myself now.”
Francis then spoke about his aims and how he intends to fit into the side under Agutter, with the Head Coach previously saying he wants at least two players in each position, something which displays while he has opted to bring in the 23-year old following the arrival of Dubem Eze at the start of the month. Early impressions of the dressing room have been extremely positive, having already got the opportunity to hit the ground running in training.
“Robust,” he said. “I don’t stop running. I’ve got hunger and desire. Technically, I can always improve – especially when I get tired – and sometimes it’s about mentality. I know I’ve got the mindset to keep improving.”
“Competition makes you better. You can’t slack here – everyone’s a good player in their own way. You might be less technical than someone else, but you might outwork them. Hard work and dedication matter, and the talent follows.”
“The lads are friendly, but most importantly they demand from each other. That’s something I really like and haven’t always seen throughout my career. This is definitely one of the best clubs I’ve been at.”
Looking ahead, his focus is firmly on the collective, with his first game set to be in front of the home support as Sutton take on Brackley Town on Saturday.
“You take it game by game,” he said. “This league is tight – anyone can beat anyone. A good run of five games can put you right in the mix. I’ve got my own ambitions, the club has ambitions, the gaffer has ambitions — but we stay focused on each game.”
“I’m really looking forward to it,” he said. “I’m ready to show what I can do, but most importantly we need three points. We want to build on last week’s win and keep that momentum going.”
