AS a teenager, few thought that Ollie Watkins was destined for the Premier League. His rise through the divisions was measured and gradual, starting with an invaluable five month spell on loan at Weston-super-Mare, who he joined in December 2014.
Watkins had come through the ranks at Exeter City to make a handful of professional appearances. The Grecians were confident he could become a fixture in the first team, but there was little sense that he was heading to the very top. Now he's earned his first England call-up too.
“The wonderful thing about Ollie Watkins' story is that at 18, 19 years old, there wasn't really talk of him being a Premier League star,” says Ryan Northmore, the manager who signed Watkins on loan. “It was about how we could help him improve and learn some valuable lessons to get back in the team at Exeter.
“His focus was always on the step he was taking. Meeting the right people at the right times along the way, as well as maintaining a good attitude, has helped him to reach the level he's at now. I think that's quite an inspirational story for a lot of young players that are working hard to improve their game and forge a career.”
Weston-super-Mare were second bottom of the Conference South, four points from safety, when Northmore was appointed. His friendship with Paul Tisdale helped to set up deals for Watkins, who had impressed in pre-season against the Seagulls, and his Exeter teammate Matt Jay. A lively debut off the bench in a 4-3 win over Farnborough was the perfect introduction.
“Ollie just hit the ground running,” says Dayle Grubb, now back for his second spell at the Woodspring Stadium. “He bought into everything we were doing at the club. Sometimes loan signings are a bit hit and miss. Sometimes they think they're too good for the level, or they shouldn't be there, but there was nothing like that with him.
“His attitude was spot on. He got involved in the group, got on really well with the lads and worked his socks off. His talent was there as well, but what was most impressive was his work rate and his desire to get better.”
Northmore agrees. “He was enthusiastic about the opportunity to go and play, and to test himself at a credible level of football. He demonstrated early on that he was going to roll his sleeves up and give it his very best.
Challenge
“He was immediately welcomed into the group. He'd drive up from Exeter to come training with us on a Tuesday and a Thursday evening. He engaged in the full experience and that earned him a lot of respect from his teammates.”
Watkins was level-headed, focused and eager to improve. Unlike many products of the academy system, he wasn't overawed by the physicality of Non-League football and embraced the challenge of winning precious points for a struggling team.
For Northmore, a disciplined performance in a hardfought win over Ebbsfleet United stands out. “They were big-spenders and virtually full-time. We sat in and must have had about 30 or 40 per cent possession. We worked extremely hard, and Ollie was part of that. He showed his willingness to close players down, to press, and to recover defensive positions. Around the 70th minute, we counter-attacked and he popped up with the winner. It was a really mature performance. He didn't get frustrated because he wasn't getting the ball or getting goalscoring opportunities. He showed really high levels of concentration.”
Northmore typically used Watkins on the left of a narrow front-three to make the most of his pace, dribbling ability and decisive finishing, which he showed in a dominant victory away to Wealdstone. He scored the opener, stooping to head in at the far post, on an afternoon where everything clicked.
Watkins was a joy to play alongside for a creative midfielder, like Grubb. “He was good as gold on the pitch. His movement was really good and he was athletic. He could come short and get it, or spin in behind,” says the 29-year-old. “He was quick, good on both feet. There were a couple of games away from home where he carried the ball really well for us when we were under the cosh. He was a helpful outlet and fit in perfectly with the way we wanted to play.”
Weston enjoyed a good run of form, which took them to safety before results deteriorated towards the end of a demanding season. They finished 17th – 14 points clear of danger – as Watkins returned to Exeter with 10 goals from 25 appearances and proof that he could more than hold his own in men's football.
Although Watkins could terrify defenders, Northmore admits that there were areas for improvement. “Like a lot of young players, his decision-making was inconsistent at times. Sometimes he struggled a bit in the link play, but that was to be expected. Players at 18, 19 don't necessarily have all the answers.
Confidence
“If the service was right, he could grow in confidence and be much more effective. When he had the ball into feet on the half-turn, running at people, or in behind them, was when he showed his best. He could finish with both feet, and with his head, and he had a hunger to score goals. Those things shone through.”
Watkins built on that formative loan spell to make his breakthrough at Exeter, continuing his progress in the Championship for three seasons with Brentford – the last of which yielded the division's golden boot – before completing a club-record £28million move to Aston Villa. He's looked at home in the Premier League and international recognition surely awaits.
“It's quite satisfying for us that we had a tiny part in his development. He was a top lad so obviously we're buzzing for him,” says Grubb. “Did we expect him to go on and score a hat-trick against Liverpool? Maybe not. But he always had potential, and the right work ethic, so he deserves all the plaudits he's getting.
“I feel privileged just to have come across him at the time that I did. I read recently that the first time Dean Smith actually saw him was when he was at Weston. To know that you've played a part in his journey is a great feeling.”
