Bishop’s Cleeve’s impressive recent signing Noah Rubio will leave home at about 3pm tomorrow ahead of the evening game against Falmouth Town at Kayte Lane.

The Southern League Division One South clash kicks off at 7.45pm and the 20-year-old needs to set off nice and early because he lives more than 130 miles away in Oldham.

It’s about two hours and 10 minutes from his home in the north west to Bishop’s Cleeve and what makes things just that bit more difficult for Rubio is that he doesn’t drive.

Fortunately, the attacking right-sided player has a very supportive family.

“My parents drive me,” he told The Local Answer. “They’re great.”

His parents are Natalie and Rowan and they don’t just take him to matches, they take him to training sessions too.

“They love coming, they love watching me, it’s not a chore for them,” Rubio said. 

His brothers Oliver and Tate also go to his games and Rubio added: “All our family played football.”

The left-footed Rubio, who can also play on the left and at 10, has been kicking a ball almost since he could walk.

He was with Kidderminster Harriers last season – he played three games in his two years at Aggborough – and is aiming to return to the full-time game in 2026/27.

“That’s the plan,” said Rubio, who doesn’t have a job outside football. “My full focus is on getting back to full-time football, that’s been the plan since the start of the season.

“I want to be playing in the National League North or South minimum.”

This is his first season in part-time football.

He played two games for Kidderminster last season in National League North after making his debut for the club at Barnet in the National League  in the previous campaign.

He was released by Kidderminster last summer – something that he says was “very disappointing” – and this season has played for Sporting Club Inkberrow, Taunton Town and Rugby Town before linking up with Bishop’s Cleeve a couple of months ago.

And he’s certainly created an impression at his new club, scoring three goals in seven games, including both in the 2-1 win at Brixham last week.

Two of his goals have been free-kicks and the other was scored from the edge of the penalty area and he said: “I grew up in the academy system, when I was very young I was at Manchester United.

“From 10 to 16 I was at Rochdale and I then had a six-month stint at Coventry before being a first year scholar at Port Vale and a second year scholar at Walsall.”

The 5ft 9in Rubio says his favourite position is out wide on the right.

“I’m a dribbler,” he said. “I beat players 1v1 and I’m a good passer.”

He’s also clearly good at set-pieces and he’s certainly settled in well at Bishop’s Cleeve. 

“I’ve really enjoyed my first few games, they’re a really good club,” he said.

“The staff and the players have been very good to me.”

The club are chasing promotion and their fans will be expecting them to step up their play-off push by collecting another three points tomorrow. 

But whether they win or not, Rubio knows his journey home – he'll get back to Oldham at about 1pm – won’t be as comfortable as the journey down.

“On the way to games I always sit in the front of the car but on the way home my mum sits in the front,” he laughed.