The rise of Ollie Watkins: Aston Villa’s underappreciated record Premier League goalscorer | OneFootball

“I’ll get at players and hopefully on a good day I’ll create a lot of chances and maybe score some goals.”

Those were the words of an 18-year-old Ollie Watkins after being rewarded with his first contract in professional football at Exeter City ahead of the 2014/15 season. Fast forward 10 seasons and the Devon-born striker has just etched his name in the illustrious history of Aston Villa, becoming the club’s all-time record goal scorer.

It is fair to say he has had his fair share of “good days” during his career and each stage of his journey has played a vital part to where he is now.

Superstar at Super Mare to elite at Exeter

With game time being limited during the first half of his first season at Exeter, Watkins went on loan to Weston Super Mare, initially on a month-long contract. Following several extensions of the loan, the forward remained at the Conference League South side for the remainder of the season, scoring 10 times in 25 appearances.

Watkins’ Weston performances did not go unnoticed, with then Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale deciding to give him a run of games during the second half of the following season, finishing the campaign with another double figure tally of 10 goals.

Tisdale gave the forward, who had begun his career as a winger, a free role in the side and during a preseason game told him to “go and get the ball and do what you want with it”. The exciting talent took all the advice onboard, earning him a place as one of the side’s most important players as the Grecians reached the League Two play-off final. The name Ollie Watkins had become well known, with the striker winning the EFL Young Player of the Year award off the back of his impressive performances.

Brentford brilliance

A key figure in Watkins’ career is the manager who loved him as a player so much that he signed him twice. Dean Smith had been keeping an eye on the goalscorer’s progress ever since his days at Weston Super Mare and brought him in while at Brentford.

Scoring 49 goals during his three seasons at the west London club, Watkins effortlessly stepped up to Championship football and was showing signs that he could play at the highest level, with many clubs keen to sign him as Brentford remained in the Championship following the play-off final defeat to Fulham.

Move to Villa

Aston Villa head coach, Smith, knew exactly who to sign to elevate his new side in the summer of 2020, after a relegation threatened first season at the club. None other than his star striker, Ollie Watkins. Speaking of their relationship, Watkins said he is “forever grateful” to Smith for “giving him an opportunity wherever”. Although Smith was the one to develop the forward during his tenure, turning him into a potent, goal-getting Premier League striker, it is under Unai Emery that Watkins has truly become one of the league’s elite attackers.

After netting against Bournemouth to earn the Villains a crucial win in their chase for the Champions League, Watkins broke the club record for goals scored in the Premier League, overtaking Gabby Agbonlahor and hitting the elusive number 75. A record which he outlined was a target since the day he signed at the club in his first-ever interview, Watkins reached his objective in just 182 league games.

His first Premier League goals came in what will go down as one of the most unforgettable games of the last decade, Aston Villa’s 7-2 victory over Liverpool in 2020, with Watkins scoring a first-half hat-trick. The Englishman’s fine form at the start of the season continued with a brace against Arsenal. Villa had found their man.

Along with the rest of the team, Watkins suffered a dip in form during the tenure of Steven Gerrard yet still managed to hit 11 goals scored during the 2021/22 season. Under the renowned management of Emery, he fulfilled his dreams of becoming one of the best, scoring 19 times in the league last season and continuing to be Villa’s focal point as the club reached the Champions League.

His 75th goal had been a long time coming and Watkins will forever have a place in the history books as he looks to keep on breaking records.

Is the 100 club up next for the striker?