On his home-coming, home-life and his dreams of breaking into the Arsenal first team...

Arsenal's youth policy is world famous - the system pioneered and overseen by 'Le Professeur' Arsene Wenger is, after all, responsible for the development of players such as Thierry Henry and Nicolas Anelka from unknown talents into mega-money superstars. The tale of Anelka is perhaps most famous; arriving at Arsenal as a 17-year-old in a £500,000 deal, leaving two years later in a deal worth over £20million.

And yet, despite such successes, the system is perceived to contrive against English prospects. Take the likes of David Bentley and Matthew Upson, both contenders for the international set-up in their own right now, who had to go elsewhere in search of a first-team chance.

Bentley, for instance, was allowed to leave Highbury - as it was then - in a cut-price deal to Blackburn. Two seasons later he was on his way to Tottenham for £15million.

The media were rife with suggestions that Arsenal's youth structure worked against emerging English players and that cases such as Bentley prove that it is a flawed system; English players can't make it at Arsenal, so the saying goes.

One young man looking to prove the exception to that rule, is Mark Randall.

The 20-year-old is growing in stature and reputation at the Emirates and his experience in various cup competitions in Arsenal colours, including the Champions League, is being added to during a loan spell with hometown club MK Dons.

Mark started his career with Northampton Town as a schoolboy, having been spotted playing for local outfit City Colts, where his reputations drew admiring glances from some of the country's biggest sides.

Though he grew up as a Tottenham fan, being told that Arsene Wenger was personally checking on him turned the youngster's head: "I heard there were a few clubs interested but as soon as I heard Arsenal were interested, I chose them straight away."

He cites Denis Bergkamp's outrageous goal against Newcastle in 2002 as his favourite footballing moment. At the time Randall was a 12-year-old schoolboy who had been training with Arsenal's youth team for around a year and admits that the moment amazed him. Four years later he was playing in Bergkamp's testimonial.

It was Randall's first pre-season with the first-team and made his debut three months later in the League Cup third round, coming on as a substitute for Denilson against West Brom, aged 17, also featuring against Everton in the next round. Over the next few years, he was a regular in the first-team squad and was loaned out to Championship outfit Burnley to help his progress. This season he made his European debut in the Champions League qualifier against FC Twente.

So what made him stand out to Wenger? "I tried to be like Steven Gerrard when I was younger because I was similar technically and in terms of pace. Nowadays, though, I just try to be myself."

I ask him if he believes he can overcome the supposed curse on emerging English players at Arsenal. "Definitely, if anyone’s good enough to make it at Arsenal they will, it doesn’t matter where they’re from. The stories about English players struggling to get through are over-analysing it. If someone’s good enough, they’ll make it. The same as at any other club."

Randall is realistic, though, and knows that his loan spell in Milton Keynes is a double-edged sword; while it is allowing him regular football, there's also an element of putting himself in the shop window too.

"For me, my mind is set on getting back into the Arsenal first team but if you’re doing well obviously other teams are going to see what you can do. If Arsenal don’t want to keep me on then hopefully I’ve done well enough here for other teams to be interested."

That isn't an acceptance of defeat on his Arsenal future, however, as I ask him where he sees himself in five years. "Hopefully playing for the Arsenal first team every week and breaking into the England team."

Just over a week ago Mark grabbed his first goal for the MK Dons, a strike that turned out to be little more than consolation in the 4-1 aggregate defeat in the area final of the Johnstone Paint Trophy. With three months left of his loan spell at the Dons, Randall will want to hit the ground running and use the competitive League One to work on his weaknesses, which he lists as his left foot and physical ability.

He considers his strengths, out of interest, to be his vision and passing ability. Two attributes that fit him in perfectly with the Arsenal style of football.

Still developing, Mark knows that he faces a huge challenge if he is to realise his dreams of becoming an Arsenal regular. With time on his side and the right attitude in place, though, we wouldn't put it past him.

Either way, expect the prodigious midfielder to be a household name in the not-so distant future.