Twenty-First Century Footballer

[Gangster Octopus]

It's going to happen sometime in the next year. Any idea who or where?

[tee rex]

Twenty-First Century Footballer

Great, let's have 16 pages of argument about when the century really began ...

[longeared]

Twenty-First Century Footballer

West Ham had a sub last weekend who was born in December 1998, so it'll certainly be within the next year. I've got a nasty feeling a Football League club will be bumped into doing it at the end of this season as some form of publicity stunt.

[gjw100]

Twenty-First Century Footballer

Whenever Yakubu makes his debut for Reading - depending upon what he's put on his latest birth certificate.

[1974ddr]

Twenty-First Century Footballer

tee rex wrote: Great, let's have 16 pages of argument about when the century really began ...

No argument required. 1st January 2001.

[Bored Of Education]

Twenty-First Century Footballer

Hold on, are you sure? My son was born 30th December 1999 and he is only 14.

[Sean of the Shed]

Twenty-First Century Footballer

Bored of Education wrote: Hold on, are you sure? My son was born 30th December 1999 and he is only 14.

I'm guessing that maths ain't your subject.

[ad hoc]

Twenty-First Century Footballer

You know that teenage glower he gave you when you gave him the card saying "Happy 14th Birthday"? That wasn't merely a teenage thing, Bored.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

Twenty-First Century Footballer

gjw100 wrote: Whenever Yakubu makes his debut for Reading - depending upon what he's put on his latest birth certificate.

Teehee

[Bored Of Education]

Twenty-First Century Footballer

He is, in fact, 15 and his father posts after too many consoling post-rugby pints

[Bored Of Education]

Twenty-First Century Footballer

Actually, the boy played in the same club - thought not at the same time naturally - as Scott Sinclair who made his professional debut at 15 years 277 days and was the youngest professional footballer - perhaps still is.

I am now looking at the boy about to play for his school team and thinking his chance has gone and he has wasted his talent.

...or Sinclair has.

...or both have.

Either way, it says something very important about modern football.

[Stumpy Pepys]

Twenty-First Century Footballer

Bored of Education wrote: Hold on, are you sure? My son was born 30th December 1999 and he is only 14.

Poor sod, that's my birthday too.

You should have timed that conception a bit better.

[Bored Of Education]

Twenty-First Century Footballer

I thought you were older than that, Stumpy. I was born on Christmas Day so have no sympathy.

[Jah Womble]

Twenty-First Century Footballer

I trust that 1974ddr had a fun Millennium Eve on December 31st 2000 - the rest of us having done it all the previous year.

[Gangster Octopus]

Twenty-First Century Footballer

Have we had one yet?

[Janik]

Twenty-First Century Footballer

Bored of Education wrote: Actually, the boy played in the same club - thought not at the same time naturally - as Scott Sinclair who made his professional debut at 15 years 277 days and was the youngest professional footballer

Very slow reply to this, but seeing as no-one corrected Bored last February...
Scott Sinclair was never the youngster professional Footballer. That record is currently held by Reuben Noble-Lazarus at 15 yrs 45 days. Before Noble-Lazarus the record was 15 yrs 158 days, held by two players and first set at that mark in 1929.

[longeared]

Twenty-First Century Footballer

Not that I'm aware of, not in the English league anyway.

There was a story a few weeks ago about Dagenham & Redbridge having to field a 14 year old keeper, but that was just a piece of internet creativity.

West Brom have fielded Jonathan Leko in a League Cup tie, he was born in 1999.

Rangers have got a defender from 2000 who is apparently on the fringes of the first team pool.

[treibeis]

Twenty-First Century Footballer

Janik wrote: Very slow reply to this, but seeing as no-one corrected Bored last February...
Scott Sinclair was never the youngster professional Footballer. That record is currently held by Reuben Noble-Lazarus at 15 yrs 45 days. Before Noble-Lazarus the record was 15 yrs 158 days, held by two players and first set at that mark in 1929.

Are we talking about players who have signed professional contracts or youth players who have played in professional games? Eamonn Collins played for Blackpool when he was fourteen.

[Sam]

Twenty-First Century Footballer

They're only talking about English football, at any rate. Sergio Agüero played his first league game for Independiente at the age of 15 years and 33 days.

[jwdd27]

Twenty-First Century Footballer

treibeis wrote:

Very slow reply to this, but seeing as no-one corrected Bored last February...
Scott Sinclair was never the youngster professional Footballer. That record is currently held by Reuben Noble-Lazarus at 15 yrs 45 days. Before Noble-Lazarus the record was 15 yrs 158 days, held by two players and first set at that mark in 1929.

Are we talking about players who have signed professional contracts or youth players who have played in professional games? Eamonn Collins played for Blackpool when he was fourteen.

Collins' game was in the Anglo-Scottish Cup v Kilmarnock, so probably counts as List A rather than First Class, to borrow cricketing jargon.

I've tried and failed to find the first players from 1990, 1980 etc, which suggests it won't be a memorable or notable player. The first post-1990 Premier League player, because nothing else counts, was Matthew Briggs of Fulham (me neither), who was actually born in 1991. Now at Colchester.

Youngest appearance record holders don't generally seem to have a prolonged career at the top level. John Bostock holds the record for both Crystal Palace and Spurs, but is now best known for appearing in Where are They Now/Where Did It All Go Wrong features in the press. Belgian second division.

[Gangster Octopus]

Twenty-First Century Footballer

From that other thread, it looks like we have a winner.

[seand]

Twenty-First Century Footballer

"The Westfield Matildas", Jeezus wept.

[Tapiocahead]

Twenty-First Century Footballer

Bury had a lad called Rob Harker on their subs bench today - he was born in 2001.

[longeared]

Twenty-First Century Footballer

Yorkshire Post says Harker turns 16 tomorrow (erm, today now), so that'd have him born on March 6th 2000. Bury missed a trick there...

[scratchmonkey]

Twenty-First Century Footballer

I just wanted to note that the title has given me the earworm of "Twenty-first century football man!"

As you were.