Myles Lewis Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri are very much local heroes – from Harringey and Archway, respectively. Their lives growing up, like so many young people in Islington, were inextricably linked with Arsenal in the Community, which for 40 years has been a powerful presence across the borough.
Both players later gave back to AITC and have great pride in what our community team provide for local people, as they explained to us when we caught up with them earlier this week.
Myles Lewis-Skelly
Firstly, Myles, tell us about where you grew up?
I grew up in Harringey, about ten minutes from the stadium. It was walking distance for me to get there.
What did Arsenal mean to you and other young people as you were growing up?
It always meant a lot for the local area, and I was aware of the community department growing up so I wanted to help out however I could once I started playing for the club.
Back in February 2022 you had a week’s work experience with Arsenal in the Community. How did that come about?
I went to work at The Arsenal Hub for a week, which was a lovely experience and one that I really want to do again. I also helped out at Elthorne Park, and honestly, they were some of the best times, looking back now. Just helping out, just being there for the kids, being there for the community. It’s something I pride myself on, being able to give back, and it brought me a lot of joy.
My mum knew Jack Ironside, who works for our Community department, and she basically told him, “My boy will come down and help out because that’s how I raised him.” And honestly it was a great time.
Read more Made in Hale End: Nwaneri and MLS stats in 24/25
What are your standout memories of that?
It was just seeing the joy on their faces, seeing them come together through football, through connections, through teamwork. I was just happy to be there and see that, you know. It brought a smile to my face too and it’s something that I really, really want to do again. I helped out with the Double Club project as well, in the classroom teaching, and that’s not an easy job at all, so I have full respect for them.
Do you see it as a privilege that in your position as a footballer you are able to impact lives like that?
I don’t see it like that really – I just see it as I’m there and they’re there, and when we’re together it doesn’t matter who you are. But if that brings joy to people then that’s great.
What did you make of the kids who were on the programme?
The kids were so engaged when I went to help out. They were creative, confident and I feel like we got on so well together. We were quite the bunch!
And how inspirational were the staff members you worked with?
It’s essential, definitely. The work that they do with the club, it’s the community and it’s what we need as a community. We need people to help and engage with the community. Arsenal is a club that has passion and all these different emotions attached to it, so it’s definitely important that the people growing up in the area have a space to feel a part of it as well. A lot of the kids wouldn’t get the opportunity to do things like that if it wasn’t for Arsenal in the Community. That’s what the name of Arsenal can do as well. It allows people to have access to things that they otherwise wouldn’t have.
You spent four days in and around The Hub. What was the vibe like there?
We did a stadium tour as well and looked round the Emirates. It was just before I became a full-time scholar in the academy so I hadn’t played there in the Youth Cup yet by that time. But yes, there’s a great atmosphere at The Hub. It was really calming but at the same time everyone has so much energy. It’s a really nice space.
How proud are you to play for a club like Arsenal that has such close links to the local and worldwide community?
Definitely, because when clubs get to the magnitude and size of Arsenal, they can forget about the community sometimes, but not Arsenal. I feel that Arsenal, no matter where it is as a club in terms of its magnitude, will always prioritise the community, the city and the people in it, because that’s what makes it Arsenal. It’s the people that make the club Arsenal.
Read more Arsenal in the Community: 40 years and counting
On the pitch, how are you feeling about the season so far?
We’re feeling positive. We feel ready and every game we go into, we are ready to make our stamp on the game and make a difference. I feel like as a team this is the most ready we’ve felt as a group. We’re excited for what’s coming, we have a good momentum. We know where we’re going, as long as we take care of the things we can control, then we’ll be good.
As we come to the end of what was a big year for you, what were your personal highlights from 2025?
I think when I signed my contract, that was surreal, man. Having my whole family and friends there to witness that inside the stadium. It’s something you can’t put into words, it was crazy.
And what are your ambitions for 2026?
I think it’s clear for all of us, but we want to take care of what we can control. Once we do that, then I feel like the end of the season will look magical for us. But it’s down to us
to make it happen. It’s all about the team, because when you talk about ambitions, you don’t achieve anything on your own. It’s a team sport and it all has to come as a team.
ETHAN NWANERI
Tell us where you grew up in Islington?
I grew up about five minutes from the stadium, so it was right in the heart of the community. It was very close. I remember the community department would visit my school, my local park. I remember seeing them all with the Arsenal jackets on and everyone getting involved.
How proud were you to grow up in an area that close to Arsenal?
Yes, we all were. We loved being part of it because it’s such a big club and we all wanted to feel like we belonged too. When you have the name Arsenal with you it definitely gets people involved because people have much more interest in things they love. It definitely helps people to feel part of something.
Now you are a player yourself, do you notice the impact you and the club can have?
Of course, because you see that we can give kids the chance to express themselves, and that’s really important. As a player myself, I know that everything I say and do can affect someone, just like when I was younger and in their position. I like that side of it, because it makes you want to help and be a good example.
You visited your old primary school, St John’s Upper Holloway, recently as part of Arsenal in the Community’s 40 Years celebrations. Did that feel good?
Yeah, because I remember playing in that playground every day and having the Arsenal coach, Joseph, come down and give us coaching sessions and teach us about how to conduct ourselves too. It was great to see all the kids and also be part of the 40-year celebrations by handing out some tickets for the Brighton game too.
Read more Gallery: 40 years of Arsenal in the Community
You have visited The Hub as a player. What sort of things do the kids ask you?
First of all it’s inspiring to see all the work being done there. There’s a lot happening there – team games and training sessions. They ask me about what I was doing at their age, ask me how to continue on that path so of course I try to help them out.
How important is it that the club reflects its community in terms of diversity?
It’s very important. I think it’s good for all different cultures and people to come together. Because football is a language and everyone can just have fun together without even having to speak about it. There is a common love there, for the game. It’s just people coming together in the name of football, having fun and expressing themselves.
Tell us how you first got spotted by the Arsenal Academy…
I was just playing with my friends for my local team and an Arsenal scout picked me up. I was quite young, about seven or eight, and from there I never looked back. I can’t remember how I actually found out about it – I think my dad told me at first. I went in for a few sessions at first, just training, and it all went from there! I was quite relaxed about it, I enjoyed it. I just wanted to play football!
And now your younger brother, Emerson, is following your footsteps in the Academy, what advice have you given him?
He’s doing really well. He played for the under-18s and then the under-19s last week. I just told him that nothing’s guaranteed, to keep working hard, keep pushing, have the right mindset and you can go as far as you want. We talk about our journey all the time so it’s great to see him progressing too. He’s my little brother, you know, so I tell him everything that he needs. I’m proud of him and just want him to keep pushing. He’s very focused, very serious, he’s a bit like me – it’s going well.
You and Emerson used to train at Whittington Park with your dad, didn’t you?
Yes, we just wanted to go to the park to play football and train, so we went there. They are happy memories for me. It’s a good place, and a big part of my history too.
Finally, what are your thoughts on the busy winter schedule coming up?
Yeah, it’s a really busy period. Lots of games, loads of important matches that we need to win, so we’re just all focused and ready for the next challenge at hand.
Read more Ethan Nwaneri surprises pupils at his old school
Copyright 2025 The Arsenal Football Club Limited. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source.