NEW signing Charlie Mapes is hoping he will be going from delivering the news to making the news.

The 20-year-old has gone from delivering newspapers and playing for Ryman League side Berkhamsted to a professional contract at Wycombe Wanderers, and Mapes is going all out to ensure he stays in the professional game.

He said: "I just want to give it my best shot. If it doesn't go well, I know I could be back at Berkhamsted and delivering the papers again.

"Hopefully, I will do well for the reserves, get on the bench and then make it into the first team."

But it's going to be tough for the young midfielder, who played for Tottenham Youth and Cardiff, before being released.

Mapes has to try and dislodge one of Wanderers' midfielders, who include player of the year Michael Simpson, battler Dannie Bulman, fans favourite Steve Brown and stalwart Keith Ryan.

Mapes said: "I've been looking at that and it's going to be tough but I'm going to give it my best shot."

And he does have a link with Ryan, who was the last player to move from Berkhamsted to Wycombe.

Mapes said: "Hopefully, I can follow in his footsteps.

"It's nice to have someone there who's been through the same experience.

"It might have helped me that the Wycombe coaches know someone who's come from the same club and made it."

And for a while, Mapes wondered if he would ever make it in the professional game.

He said: "There are tough times, like when you go through the period when the pitches are really bad. You do get downhearted and wonder whether you're ever going to get that professional contract again.

"That was why I got really delighted when I got the contract.

"Once I got out of professional football, I knew it would be hard to get back. But it's always been a dream and I knew that if I got another chance, I would have to give it my best shot.

"The Ryman League has been a learning curve. I'm only young so I've still a lot to learn.

"Steve Bateman [Berkhamsted's manager] was great and he taught me a few things. He's been really good to me and helped me."

And Bateman has no doubts over Mapes' ability.

He said: "He's a bright young player. You could see he wanted another chance to make it. He was desperate to get the chance and get back into professional football.

"Many of the young players think they're further on than they are and aren't prepared to workfor it but he's got a fantastic attitude and I'm delighted that he's got the chance at Wycombe."

Mapes got the chance at the end of last season when he impressed in trial games.

He said: "I had a few practice matches and then I played my first reserve match against Cardiff which was a bit weird because I used to play for them. I played well and they asked me to do some training with them.

"Then they asked me to play again, against Colchester, and I scored and did well.

"They didn't say anything after that and I thought they might be stringing me along because other players were there and I might be there to make up the numbers.

"But I played one more match against Chesterfield and it was after that when Lawrie Sanchez called me in and said that they wanted to offer me a one-year contract. I tried to hold it back because I didn't want him to know how much it meant."

And now Mapes is fitness training with the rest of the squad.

He said: "It's quite hard at the moment. The level of fitness is different. I'll jsut have to try harder.

"Everyone's been good. It's been a warm welcome. The manager called me into his office to officially welcome me. We had a chat and he outlined what he wanted from me.

"He's got a young squad at the moment and I've only got a year so I've got to try hard and get into the first team.

"He said a year flies by so I've got to make the most of it.

"I want to break into the first team and get another contract."