Watkins Inspirational Career
How Watkins went from lower league to national meritocracy
Watkins is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker and currently plays for English Premier League club Aston Villa, representing England at international level.
Ten years ago Ollie Watkins was a youth player at England's lower division side Exeter City, further out on loan to the sixth tier, and at the time couldn't imagine ever scoring in the Premier League, or even the Europa League.
Ollie Watkins was born in Devon, in the southwest of England, more than 300 kilometers away from London, which has many big teams, and unless he moved to London, it would be difficult for him to join the big teams such as Chelsea and Arsenal.
Ollie Watkins joined Newton Town, near his home town, with a friend and about a year later was recognized by Exeter City, who invited him to join the over 100-year-old team.
Ollie Watkins joined Exeter City at the age of 11 and became increasingly serious about becoming a footballer at the age of 14 or 15. 2013/14 saw Ollie Watkins score 30 goals in the U18's, a run of form which earned him a full time contract and in April 2014 he was promoted to the first team. Early on in his promotion to the first team, Ollie Watkins made his debut in League Two as a substitute, when he was set to play on the wing.
Ollie Watkins made just three league starts in his first two seasons with Exeter City, he was loaned out to England's sixth-tier amateur side Marina Weston in December 2014 and delivered 10 goals in half a season, when he returned to Exeter City, Ollie Watkins was put in to play as a proper striker and his potential finally exploded.
Ollie Watkins scored eight goals in 20 games in League Two in 2015/16, and was close to full time the following season, contributing 13 goals in 45 league appearances.
Ollie Watkins was gradually seen to be working hard at Exeter City, and in 2017 received an offer from Derby County for not a bad price, but Paul Tisdale politely declined the offer, "Derby County's style of play won't help Ollie Watkins grow". Just six months later, Brentford brought in Ollie Watkins for £1.8 million.
Ollie Watkins shone at Brentford, blasting 25 goals in the league in the 2019/20 season, assisting his side to finish the Championship in third place, just missing out on the Premier League. Even so, Ollie Watkins joined Aston Villa for a £28 million transfer fee, 15 times more than when he joined Brentford, made his Premier League debut, and then contributed double-digit goals in the Premier League for four consecutive seasons, as well as earning his first England call-up, Ollie Watkins has had a very different soccer career.
On March 25, 2021, Watkins made his debut and kicked his first international goal in a 2022 World Cup qualifier against San Marino, helping England to a 5-0 victory.
On July 10, 2024, Watkins came on as a substitute in the Euro 2024 semi-final and scored on the turn from a Cole Palmer cross in the 90th minute to help England advance to the final with a 2-1 win over the Netherlands and was voted the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
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