Portsmouth star tells pupils he achieved his dream by going to school and working hard

Julia Katherine and Mike Stoneman from Portsmouth City Council with Pompey player Ryan Williams

Australian winger Ryan Williams was passing on the benefits of his experience to students from schools across the city at Highbury College to mark the ‘Miss School, Miss out’ attendance campaign, which highlights the importance of going to school.

Young people from primary and secondary schools were put forward for the event to recognise excellent or significantly improved attendance and punctuality.

Speaking at Portsmouth City Council's first school attendance celebration event, backed by Portsmouth FC, Ryan said: ‘If you keep working hard and always have a dream to aim for then you can achieve anything you want.’

‘I enjoyed going to school although I was more interested in the skills you learnt on how to grow up and interact with people.’

The 26-year-old admitted he was inspired to be a footballer by his older brother who became a professional before him – with him saying it ‘helped to have someone’s footsteps to follow’.

Despite still having years left ahead of him in his playing career, Ryan told pupils he was already preparing for the next phase of his career.

‘I’m studying for my Uefa B coaching licence and looking at doing a GCSE in Spanish as having two languages would help with my coaching,’ he said.

Mike Stoneman, deputy director of children’s services at the council, told pupils: ‘School attendance has improved significantly in Portsmouth but we are hoping for even more improvement in the next year.

‘People who attend school are shown to have more successful lives so it is really important that people go to school.’

Pupils said going to school ‘gives you a better education’ and ‘helps your future career’.

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Admiral Lord Nelson school saw lucky pupils Megan Houghton, Paulie Sharpe and Jack Maudsley drawn from a hat to attend the event.

Connor Agar, senior inclusion assistant at the school, said: ‘They all have a 100 per cent attendance record and are a great example.’

Signed Pompey shirts and tickets to an upcoming game were given to lucky pupils whose names were picked out of a hat.