Hundreds of aspiring footballers pass through Everton's academy system every year - and only a tiny fraction will ever make the first-team at Goodison Park.
One man who knows this better than most is Lee Molyneux.
Molyneux joined Everton's centre of excellence in 2000 and progressed through the ranks at academy and reserve level before eventually training with David Moyes' first-team squad.
An unfortunately-timed injury in the summer of 2007 - coupled with the arrival of Leighton Baines - reduced the Huyton-born left-back's chances under Moyes and he eventually joined Southampton in search of first-team football.
Since then, Lee's career has taken in the likes of Accrington Stanley, Tranmere Rovers and Morecambe as well as an 18-month stint out of the game after falling into trouble during a testing period of his career.
Lee explains all to Sam Carroll in a special edition of your Royal Blue podcast.  For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy