theo walcott

Theo Walcott

As a child, he followed his father Don in being a Liverpool fan, and at the age of 10 took up playing the game with AFC Newbury. Theo scored 100 goals in 35 games for the club's under-11 team and in 2000 won the Peter Houseman League Cup after his side beat Down Grange 4-2 in the final. After impressing with the Berkshire outfit, Theo was offered a schoolboy contract to join Swindon Town's Centre of Excellence, but soon left to join Southampton.

In his first season at Southampton, Theo's career continued to progress. At 15 years and 175 days old, he became the Saints' youngest player to appear for their reserve team by coming off the bench against Watford. He also helped the youth team make the final of the FA Youth Cup, where they lost 3-2 on aggregate to Ipswich Town. Walcott's England career also took off after he broke into the Under-17 team where he scored five times in eleven appearances.

Season 2005/06 was Theo's breakthrough season. He signed a full-time professional contract and at just 16 years and 143 days old, he made a substitute appearance in Southampton's goalless draw at home against Wolves, which made him the youngest player ever to appear for the Saints. Two months later he not only made his first start, but he also scored in Southampton's 2-1 defeat at Leeds United. Subsequently, he then scored in his next two appearances at Millwall and at home against Stoke City. 2005 finished with Theo being named in the top three of the BBC's Young Sports Personality of the Year.

Following Theo's rapid rise to fame, Chelsea and Arsenal both made bids for the 16-year-old, however the Gunners were the ones to clinch the forward's signature as Arsenal signed him on January 20, 2006, paying an initial fee of £5m which could rise to a maximum of £12m.