For any football fan, it would be a dream to earn a professional contract.

Just imagine all those years of practising in the back garden and local park translating into playing every week for a living and potentially working your way up to the Premier League.

Funnily enough, that will never happen for most supporters but there have been opportunities in the past for older players to work their way into the professional game.One of the finest examples of that is Samsung's 'Win A Pro Contract' competition which gave players the opportunity to sign a deal with clubs in the English Football League.The series ran for two seasons, with the second seeing no less than three winners, earning contracts at Swindon Town, Wycombe Wanderers and Leyton Orient respectively.

'Win A Pro Contract'

It's not necessarily the most glamorous entry into professional football, but an invaluable opportunity to prove your wroth and potentially climb the footballing ladder.

In the aforementioned 2013-14, over 6,000 players entered the competition and put themselves through several months of intense trials.

By the end, the three winners were: Nathan Evans, Josue Antonio and Jake Burgess.

However, winning the contract was only the first stage and four years on from their victories, football fans can now see how the three lads have faired after landing their dream jobs.

They've certainly had an interesting trajectory since - check them out below:

Nathans Evans

A member of the Newcastle youth ranks, Evans was stewing in non-league when he got his big break with Wycombe in 2014. He quickly got the opportunity to play in a friendly with Chelsea that summer, although the Chairboys were humbled 5-0 on the night.

However, his entrance to the professional game quickly stalled as he was loaned out to Scarborough Athletic in the Evostick Division North.

He would return to Adams Park afterwards, but Wycombe took the decision to let him go in 2015. Since then, Evans has plied his trade with Corby Town in the seventh division of English football.

Josue Antonio

Perhaps the least successful of the three winners in 2014, Antonio struggled to make an impact after signing for Swindon. The 22-year-old didn't make a single appearance for the senior team and was released after just one year at the club.

Since then, the defender has largely gone off the radar and has fallen down into non-league with Swindon Supermarine proving the first club to snap him up. Just three appearances there quickly sent him into the footballing wilderness, though.

He know plies his trade with Aylesbury United in the Southern Football League, no less than four tiers below his former club Swindon.

Jake Burgess

Tracking down Burgess hasn't proven the easiest task after his moment of fame signing for Leyton Orient. He signed the contract at the age of 16 and impressed Russell Slade throughout his trial despite concerns over his fitness.

The midfielder made his name at Salisbury City and, according to Transfermarkt, he has returned to the club as part of their youth ranks. However, Burgess was seen playing for AFC Totton in 2015 in - you guessed it - the seventh and eighth division of English football.

Regardless of where Burgess is playing now, though, his dream at Orient didn't work out and he's now joining his fellow victors in the lower leagues.

It's sad that from 6,000 entrants, even the best of the bunch couldn't solidify their position in professional football and it certainly would have been fairytale stuff if they made it.

However, it just goes to show how difficult it is to succeed in the world of football and earning yourself a contract is only the very first step.

Samsung discontinued their series after the 2014 edition but, if it returns, fans will have their fingers crossed for more success next time.