"The hard work can't stop" - Midfielder White determined to make the grade at Town

Since then, the 22-year-old has been through the school of hard knocks in non-league, earning himself another shot at making it in the professional game.

"I think it's testament to the hard work I've put in and the experience I've picked up in non-league," he told the Courier.

"I'm happy in that respect, that the hard work's paid off, but the hard work can't stop, I've got to keep working hard, keep putting the effort in every day."

White was released by Manchester City aged 11 and after playing locally, he attended an open trial at Rochdale aged 14 and was selected for a scholarship, staying at the club until he was 18.

"It's very difficult when you first hear about it, being told in a roundabout way you're not good enough is not very nice," he said of being released by Rochdale.

"But football's like that, it's ruthless, and especially as a young lad, you just have to deal with adversity and knock backs and it's how you pick yourself up that's the more important thing."

Since then, White has played in non-league, where he says he has learned a lot about what it takes to make it in the game.

"The worst thing you can do is take it lightly and be like 'non-league is like Sunday football and I'll just walk through it, it'll be dead easy and I'll be back in full-time football in no time'," he said.

"It doesn't work like that. As a young lad, you have to work your way in and find out what it's about.

"You're going into non-league with more experienced players who've played 200, 300 professional games.

"You've got a lot to learn going in as an 18-year-old. I learned a lot in my first year or two in non-league and that helped me develop a platform to get back into full-time football.

"Academy football's very different, it's dead nice, it's not really a results business, it's more about how you play and the development of players.

"Whereas you go into non-league and it's more about three points, do whatever you can to win, so that was a big learning curve - not playing attractive football or looking nice, playing nice passes and jogging around the pitch, it was more about working hard, knuckling down, putting a few tackles in, making sure I'm not being a pushover and doing everything I can for the team to get three points on a Saturday."

White joined Hyde United after leaving Rochdale but found himself out of the team midway through the season and dropped down to play for Wythenshawe in the North West Counties League.

"I wanted to get back playing," he said, "get my love back for the game, get my confidence back.

"I played for two or three months there, did really well, just turned 19, and got picked up by Radcliffe, where I stayed for around 18 months."

Again, White didn't play as much as he'd have liked at Radcliffe and dropped back down to Wythenshawe once more.

"I got my confidence back again and, at that point, I think my mentality changed a bit," he said.

"I felt I'd grown up, from turning 19 to 20, the way I looked at football completely changed.

"I had to stop being a teenager, a young player, even though I might be young, I needed to act a bit older and play as if I'm one of the more experienced players."

His form for Wythenshawe again got him noticed higher, this time by Glossop in November 2021.

White was recommended by the Glossop assistant manager to Town's goalkeeping coach Paul Oakes, and signed for Halifax after a successful trial.

"I feel it's come at a good time in my life," he said, "I'm growing up, I've learned a lot and developed traits I'll need to play higher.

"It's the highest step in non-league, it's basically professional, league football with the players and the teams in it.

"Some I'm going to need all that experience and knowledge I've picked up and then learn even more off the staff, other players and in games.

"I'm just looking to learn all the time about different steps in the game and what I'll need.

White's first training session with Halifax was on December 19.

"I was just about getting in as many sessions as I could to impress the management and the other players, to try and get myself that deal," he said.

"It was a lot faster than what I'd been used to, people are more demanding, staff are more demanding and you don't get away with mistakes as much.

"I feel like I'm still getting to grips with a few things, still learning every day but first impressions have been good.

"All the players here are good players. We have a good squad, good harmony, a good camaraderie around the place.

"We're a really good footballing squad that could be higher in the league than we are at the moment."

White has stepped up three division to join Town, but says he isn't daunted by the prospect of playing straight away, with a debut possible in Wednesday's home game against Scunthorpe.

"It doesn't faze me at all," he said.

"I think working hard is the first step to it, it's what's got me here in the first place so I can't stop working hard now, this is where even more hard work starts.

"It's not fazing me at all, in the team is where I want to be.

"Getting into the team and staying in the team is the hardest thing about it but that's exactly where I want to be.

"Being throw straight into the team end will be a good test but one I'm looking to thrive under.

"I don't think I'd get to this point in life and in my career if I didn't have belief in myself.

"I think it'd be silly for me not to believe in my own ability to get where I want to be.

"Confidence is one of the key things I look to thrive on, if you have confidence I think everyone plays better."

When asked what the Town fans can expect from him, White said: "I like to get on the ball, try and get the team playing, play progressive passes, move the team forward, play between lines, straight into strikers.

"I'm tenacious, I like to tackle, get the ball back and just work really hard for the team, put myself about and out in a good shift.

"I'm more of a six, a holding midfielder, I like to get on the ball, dictate tempo and get teams playing.

"Then out of possession, break it up and look after the opposition's more advanced midfielders.

"I can do a job as an eight, as I have been doing for Glossop for half a season."

White may have come full circle by getting back into the professional game, but he is hoping his ascent doesn't stop there.

"I think every boy's dream when they're younger is to make it to the top and play in the Premier League where the top, world class players are playing," he added.

"But just as far as I can go, work hard, knuckle down. With the right people guiding me and giving me information, who knows how far I can really go."