Dane Scarlett becomes Tottenham Hotspur’s youngest ever player against Ludogorets
According to Football.london, 16-year-old Dane Scarlett became the youngest player to make his debut for Tottenham Hotspur in yesterday’s 4-0 Europa League win over Ludogorets.
The youngster made the landmark appearance at the age of 16 years and 247 days. The record was previously held by central midfielder John Bostock who played against Dinamo Zagreb in 2008. Scarlett eclipsed Bostock’s record by over a month. (h/t Transfermarkt)
It represents a remarkable turnaround in fortunes for the youngster, having suffered a season-ending knee injury last year. He admitted that it was a dream come true, while lamenting the fact that he had to do so in front of empty stands.
An informed decision
Speaking after the game, Jose Mourinho admitted that he was unaware of the record before he brought on the youngster. He went on to add that Scarlett enjoyed a good time with the club in pre-season.
The teenager appears to have an excellent reputation within the club. Mourinho’s decision to include the youngster in the team was based on merit. He came to the conclusion after discussing with the club’s football director and the academy director.
“They gave me his name and because I knew him already I thought if the opportunity would arise it would be a good chance for me and a good feeling for everyone in the academy.”
Scarlett predominantly plays for us at the Under-18 level. A centre-forward, he featured as a substitute in our first-team friendlies against Ipswich Town and Reading at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the lead-up to this season.
The youngster has a rightful cause to be unhappy that his big moment occurred with no fans to cheer him on. If he continues to develop, there is no reason why he will not have more opportunities in the future.
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It was an excellent night for two other academy graduates. Harry Winks got on the scoresheet while Japhet Tanganga returned to action. Ludogorets may not have been the most illustrious of our opponents but it was a night to cheer for the club’s academy.