Emile Heskey: I watched my boys playing in the back garden - now they’re training with the world’s best

Emile Heskey fidgets in his seat. He loses his train of thought, distracted by what he has just seen.

Son Jaden has hit the deck in the box, straining to beat an opposition defender to a cross that Reigan, his younger brother, has just fired into the middle. No penalty on this occasion, not that Jaden appealed for one, but it’s a moment that understandably diverted Heskey’s thoughts for a second.

He’s just a dad who has come along to watch his two children play a game of football after all, and is now answering questions from a small group of opportunistic journalists who spotted him in the stands at half-time. The former England international didn’t have to answer any questions, he could have politely turned us away, but instead took the time to talk proudly of his boys’ achievements.

But the minor penalty appeal - 90 seconds into the second half - is our cue to leave and let him enjoy the rest of the game in peace. It’s 2-0 to Manchester City at this stage in their Uefa Youth League encounter against Feyenoord. Jaden’s captaining the side, Reigan has already scored one and will go on to grab another in the second period in a convincing 6-1 win. Not a bad day for the Heskey household.

That has tended to be the case this season. Jaden (18) has pushed into the Under-21s, starting every Premier League 2 game for Ben Wilkinson’s junior side in 2024/25. Already an FA Youth Cup winner, he has trained with Pep Guardiola’s senior team on several occasions and played against Barcelona in pre-season. “I actually missed that one, I fell asleep,” Emile revealed. “I stayed up for the one before, the whole game, but fell asleep the one he played.”

As for Reigan (16), he’s playing with a group essentially two years older - and excelling. Although he has mainly represented the Under-18s this season, he made headlines recently by scoring a hat-trick against Norwich City for the Under-21s after being introduced from the bench at half-time. He’s scored eight in eight for the Under-18s and is an England youth international. Naturally, dad is over the moon.

“It's great,” Emile tells Manchester World. “Obviously I've been watching them for a long time, now I just have to travel a bit further. The one thing I always said to them was to let them enjoy their football, that's what it's all about. You don't come into football for anything else.

“It becomes a bit more serious the higher you go and what you want to achieve. This part of football is what I enjoy. That's what they're doing. It's good to see them playing together now with one captain and the other scoring for fun.”

Both brothers have been at City since the age of eight and despite Emile enjoying a distinguished career with Liverpool, Aston Villa and Leicester City among others, it was City where his lads ended up. “He [Jaden] was at Liverpool as well but we preferred to be here because of the coaching methods,” Emile explains, adding the proximity to home helped.

Jaden revealed in a previous interview with Manchester World that the Heskey name brings added pressure, but that both he and his brother want to create their own legacy. It’s a sentiment that Emile echoes, although he does pass on the odd tip from time to time.

“I can give them advice but it's their careers. And if I give them advice which goes against what the manager says, what happens? I tend to sit back and when they ask, or when they see something which I think is obvious I'll give my opinion.

“But I try to enjoy being the dad and watching them play rather than being a coach and telling them what to do. Sometimes you have to sit back and let them enjoy it.

“You find yourself wanting to jump in,” he adds. “I try to sit there and let them be themselves. If I put them both together they're me. If you split them apart they're half me, half not.

‘We grew up playing in the back garden’

At City, Jaden and Reigan have gone from little boys enjoying kick-abouts at Platt Lane summer camps, to within touching distance of the first team. Jaden, in particular, is used to rubbing shoulders with football’s elite - including Jack Grealish, whom Emile can remember joining senior sessions at Villa as a 17-year-old.

Against Feyenoord, both of the Heskey boys were excellent, but with two goals it was Reigan whose performance will stick in the mind for longer.

“It was a good game, we played well,” he tells Manchester World. “It's a good challenge as one of the younger ones. Playing against older, more physical players is helping my game.

“I like to express myself on the pitch, 1v1s, making chances out of whatever I can get. You aim to score or assist every game. I'm happy to contribute.”

The precocious talent is well thought of at City and is continuing to develop his game. “He’s got real quality when he comes inside and I’m pleased today with the variety he has shown in terms of his game,” says Wilkinson after the match.

“We have spoken to him about not being predictable. The higher up you get, full-backs will know what you’re about and defend against that. You need to have more in your tool box to kick on. I think he did really well on the outside today.

“He has got obvious physical attributes for a boy of 16 that in the modern game I feel you need. I thought he showed good variety in his game which is a good development step and he is on the right track.”

Reigan’s fleet-footed nature is in contrast to Jaden, a more physical player who can operate in midfield or up front and has an excellent range of passing. “They're very different characters, let alone players,” says Emile. “I knew they could play together from a young age when one was kicking the younger one around.”

Invariably, they know each other’s games inside out. “We grew up playing in the back garden,” Reigan reminisces. “I know him well, he knows me well. I can see what he's trying to do so it helps me - when he tries to do something I can go off with my movement. It works well.”

Jaden and Reigan grew up with football in their blood, it’s all they’ve ever known. They’ve made incredible steps, joining one of the country’s best underage talent factories, progressing through the ranks and now impressing at the highest level of youth football. There’s one step left though, the hardest yet: making it as a professional player. Just as dad did.

“It's big shoes to fill,” admits Reigan, referencing his father’s outstanding career - but day by day, the brothers are inching closer to that level. Should they make it as Premier League players, the Heskeys might suddenly become one of football’s most talked about families.