Moving to England five years ago has turned out to be a good decision for Bermudian LeeNora Crane and her 13-year-old son Marlon Mallory who is starting to excel in various sports, including football and athletics.

Mallory attends Isleworth and Syon, an all-boys sports college in West London and plays weekends with the under-14 team of Old Isleworthians where he is starting to excel as a promising defender. Athletics is his other favourite sport, having won several honours as a sprinter and also in cross country.

“It has to be football and athletics for me,” said Mallory who has also played a bit of cricket, rugby and dodgeball. “If [opportunity in] football came first I would do that, or if athletics came first I’ll do that.”

Mallory played for two seasons with Hampton Rangers when he first arrived in England and scored in his first match with the team when he was playing as a striker. He is back on the Island on vacation with his mother staying with family in St George’s and catching up with friends.

Mallory, a cousin of Mackie Crane, the St George’s footballer, played for three seasons as a striker for the Devonshire Cougars youth teams before moving to England at age eight and has now switched to playing in defence. The switch to England came at the right time, says his mom who works as a chef manager for an all-girls school.

“We’ve been in England since July, 2010 and it was the right time to move for both of us, mainly for him,” said Crane. “My nephew Keivin Crane, who works for British Airways, is out there and he told me Marlon could go far.

“He’s versatile, the coach said he could put him anywhere and he knows what to do. The teachers have told me Marlon’s got potential, he’s won man-of-the-match several times. Two days after we get back he will be playing in a big tournament and the coach he trains with scouts for Chelsea. He said he’s always looking to scout new boys.

“I asked myself when I first moved there if I made the right decision, and I did. Just seeing the growth in him, he’s accomplishing something and the letters that come home from school saying ‘your son has been nominated for this or that’, brings joy to me.

“The first time I got to watch him run, the [relay] team was in third place and he brought them up to first place. He’s a good young man, very respectful and knows what he wants. I feel his future is good and he has good family support behind him.”

Mallory and his mother met Shaun Goater at a Bermuda function in London a couple of years ago and he got a picture taken with the former Manchester City striker.

“I told him that if you are really serious about football, or whatever you do, as long as it is positive, l don’t mind,” his mom said.

“He can make it if he wants, you have many Bermudians out there [Britain] who are making it. He would rather be playing the game than watching it. We live about ten minutes from Brentford [football club].

“We are from a small island and we are proud of our home. I know he’ll make us proud, whatever he does. I’m his number one fan and I’m at every game.”