The agony of not being offered a contract after trials is a tale told by just about every footballer including Namibian forward Rudolf Bester who went through this pain at Mamelodi Sundowns in 2007.
Bester had been in fine form for Eleven Arrows back home and needed his breakthrough into the PSL.
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Having turned 24 that year, the clock was ticking for him to get his break and what better way to be offered an opportunity to trial than at Sundowns – who had been league champions that year.
"Can you imagine the pain of spending a month at Sundowns in hope, only to be then told that I will not be signed?" recalls Bester.
"What happened at Sundowns was disappointing, but it was a time when they still had Peter Ndlovu, Patrick Apataki, Surprise Moriri, Dillon Sheppard, Mike Manzini, Lerato Chabangu, Esrom Nyandoro, and Brian Baloyi.
"There was all this talk that I was going to sign but I still don't know what happened even up to this day.
"Gordon Igesund was the Sundowns coach at the time and had been keen on me.
"At a later stage, I was told that I must go back to Namibia.
"I was disappointed but had to be strong in accepting the situation which also came with my days in South Africa also coming to an end.
"Imagine going back home empty handed after having been away for a month in hope.
"Not many people know about this," says Bester.
After being tormented at Sundowns, Bester went to play in Serbia for FC Cukaricki Stankom in 2008 but faced a sad ending as well before then returning to the PSL.
"I went to Serbia at the recommendation of Eliphas Shivute who also played for Eleven Arrows before leaving for Europe so after seeing me playing asked if he could take me to Europe for exposure.
"So, I then went on a loan move for six months but while I was there the club started having money problems.
"The owner was then arrested in Croatia and then they allowed all of us to leave after the team was relegated.
"I have noticed that they now have a new owner (Dragon Obradovic) and are back in the SuperLig.
"After Serbia, I briefly played for Eleven Arrows before moving to Maritzburg United because Gordon Igesund and Ronnie Kanalelo were at the club at the time.
"Ronnie put in a word for me, and I was signed without trials.
"It was a surprise for me that I was signed straight away without trials because Gordon knew me from (Mamelodi) Sundowns.
"So, at Maritzburg, Gordon took me right away at Maritzburg without asking anything," he says.
After two years at Maritzburg where he made such a huge impression while there, there were multiple clubs keen on him before he ultimately settled for Orlando Pirates.
"The team that wanted me the most was SuperSport United and then there were Bloemfontein Celtic and Pirates.
"For me, to go to Pirates was good considering my age because I was already 28 and in my prime.
"Pirates was great because I won three trophies in my first season.
"I don't regret signing for Pirates because all that I have now, is because of football especially at Pirates where we won the treble.
"Look, I was disappointed at Sundowns but don't have any regrets about Pirates," says Bester.