Max Dowman's life away from Arsenal speaks volumes and will relieve Mikel Arteta

Arsenal prodigy Max Dowman is as well looked after at home as he is at London Colney, according to one ex-English prodigy.

Despite being too young to sit his GCSE exams, Dowman has already had an impact in the Premier League. He was given a chance by Mikel Arteta during Arsenal's 5-0 home triumph over Leeds United and the youngster immediately justified his manager's faith by earning a penalty.

However, the only worry for this teenage sensation is the high standard he's set at the Emirates Stadium, which could heap immense pressure on his youthful shoulders. But Arsenal supporters can take comfort from the words of former 1990s wonderkid Sonny Pike, who was dubbed the English Maradona at just 13 years old.

The Enfield playmaker left football at the age of 17 after the hype and a turbulent home life led him to fall out of love with the sport. The ex-Leyton Orient academy ace is friends with some of Dowman's coaches and revealed the youngster's family have also impressed the Gunners.

Pike, who penned a book about his own tragic football career that never materialised and currently runs his own personal one-to-one football coaching academy, told the Mirror: "I spoke to a friend of mine who's in my book.

"He's a coach at Arsenal. I spoke to him about Max. He said he rates him highly and thinks highly of him and his family. So I think he's in good hands."

In the early 1990s, Pike was turning heads both locally and nationally, even catching the eye of European giants Ajax, as he netted around 100 goals a season for his local teams.

His technical prowess, distinctive curly hair, yellow football boots and undeniable talent led to appearances on shows like Blue Peter and Fantasy Football, while big-name brands such as McDonalds, Mizuno, Coca Cola and Paul Smith were quick to sponsor him.

His father, a builder by profession, had never shown an interest in football until he saw the commercial potential in his teenage son and eagerly accepted every media and endorsement opportunity that came their way. However, Pike's footballing dream was cut short when his father agreed for him to feature in a documentary.

They believed it was about his talent, but it turned out to be about the poaching of young football players by other clubs. Following his involvement, the FA handed him a one-year ban, extinguishing his passion for football before he could test his skills at the highest level.

Pike was the first to admit his home environment was dysfunctional and far from ideal for a young lad with dreams of captaining England. The Enfield-born football coach has a keen eye for talent, having trained alongside Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart during his brief stint with Ajax.

While he is excited about Dowman, he is even more relieved about the stable and humble upbringing Arsenal's newest young star has received. Pike, discussing Dowman's coach at Arsenal, said: "He knows me really well because I'm just a personal friend of his. I said, 'What's the environment like compared to how my house used to be?'"

"My house was wild, there was all sorts of goings on with my dad and my stepdad and everything else that went on. When I asked him if it is completely different with Max, he said, 'Yeah, it's a lot different, son.'"

Whilst Dowman enjoys excellent support both at home and at the Gunners, Pike also encouraged his teammates to look after the wonderkid. He continued: "For me, I think it's going to be an overall job for the players and all of his family to keep him grounded.

"It's so easy to get caught up in that sort of thing, get some money and everything else. I'm sure there were a lot of older pros there that have probably been through that cycle and are keeping him down on the ground and just letting him concentrate and do his football.

"I can imagine it is too easy to get involved with all the fame and everything else. The next thing you know, you're completely away from the game."

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