A young Bermudian football fan netted the chance of a lifetime when he shared a training session with England captain Alan Shearer.

Quinton DeShield Jr. who lives in the UK, was recently featured in the sports pages of the West Sussex-based Crawley Observer when he won a national competition to play with the Newcastle United striker.

Quinton, 20, is the son of Quinton DeShield of Southampton and Marsha (Williams) Erysthee of London.

He left Bermuda with his mother and step-father in 1994 and is presently working to pay for his university tuition as a waiter at the Copthorne Gatwick Hotel.

A former PHC, Warwick Academy and Purvis Primary midfielder, DeShield is now a winger for Crawley Town reserves in the Dr. Martin's League.

He found the session with 15 million man Shearer and Newcastle United coaching staff "rewarding'' and said Shearer was "laid back''.

"I was surprised to find Shearer so relaxed. He was in trouble at the time for kicking another player in the face,'' added DeShield.

"(After winning the competition) we lived the life of Shearer. We were in fancy hotels and had good food and trained hard.'' DeShield said he answered an advertisement in a newspaper and later had to complete a soccer skills test but did not win the ultimate prize -- a trip to see Shearer and England at the World Cup.

"He judged us on our dribbling, shooting, heading, and other ball handling skills.'' Shearer told The Observer : "He did very well. Especially at the heading.

Quinton can be very proud.'' DeShield said he would like to continue his soccer career but intends to return to Bermuda as an engineer.

"I definitely want to come back,'' he said. "I want to get work experience in Europe but I want to come back.'' Quinton DeShield