I was sacked as a factory worker, the next day I was playing along Mesut Ozil at Arsenal – I was gobsmacked

COHEN BRAMALL trained with Arsenal's first team including World Cup winner Mesut Ozil just days after being sacked by car giant Bentley.

The current Rotherham left-back was “stunned” when he was sent straight to Arsenal's senior training under Arsene Wenger in 2017.

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

He told BBC Sport: “I was fired by Bentley on Tuesday [20 December]which was crazy because I didn't know what I was going to do.

“My agent Lee Payne calls me on Wednesday and says you have a trial at Arsenal. I thought 'what?' – I was amazed.

“He said pack your stuff and go to this postcode, so within about an hour I packed all my stuff, got there as quickly as I could, had a bit of sleep and the next thing I know I'm in training with the first team.

“It was crazy how quickly everything happened, how I met everyone and they immediately took me into it. I had to grab the opportunity with both hands.”

A trial match with Sheffield Wednesday U23s was watched by Arsenal scout Brian McDermott, who called Bramall's agent.

The following morning he trained with Arsenal's first team, having expected to face the reserves.

He said: “I found myself in a 5-vs-5 with some of the best players in the world like Ozil, Alexis Sanchez and Petr Cech. It was crazy.

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“The pace and movement were excellent. It was a special moment for me.”

He had also played in a reserve match at Crystal Palace.

After two days, Arsenal submitted a bid to Hednesford Town and signed the then twenty-year-old left back.

The Gunners agreed a £40,000 deal in January.

Wenger said at the time: “Bramall is a young, promising left-back who lacks top-level experience but has fantastic ingredients.

“He has tremendous pace, a good left foot and a great desire to do well. Overall he is a very exciting prospect.”

But the Crewe-born player spent the rest of the season with the U23s.

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

But he and Arsenal teammate Carl Jenkinson were loaned out to Championship club Birmingham City in August.

Bramall's return to Arsenal saw him make three appearances for their under-21 team in the 2018/19 EFL Trophy.

But the club confirmed he would be released when his contract expires in the 2019 summer window.

Up the EFL ladder

After his time at Arsenal was over, Bramall signed a two-year contract with League Two club Colchester United in 2019.

He was sent off for the first time in his professional career in August for violent conduct during Colchester's 3-0 win over Swindon Town in the EFL Cup.

And he scored his first professional goal with a well-taken free-kick in a 3-0 win over Carlisle United in December.

Next up was a multi-year contract with League One side Lincoln City in February 2021.

Bramall then climbed the football pyramid again after Championship side Rotherham met his release clause from Lincoln.

The now 28-year-old became a first team player, with 75 championship appearances, before Rotherham were relegated in May.

Since then he has played second fiddle to former Man Utd youth player Reece James under manager Steve Evans.

He told the Rotherham Advertisier: “This is a challenge and it's good for my character. If I know I haven't done a great job I will definitely tell myself that.”