A Biography by @AbsoluteAFC of
www.Absolutearsenal.com
Theo James Walcott was born on March 16, 1989, the son of a British Jamaican father and an English mother. He joined A.F.C Newbury at the young age of 10, where he would score 100 goals in 35 games for the under-11 side. His performances did not go unnoticed as he was swiftly offered an opportunity with Swindon Town F.C., where he plied his trade for six months before joining Southampton F.C., rejecting Chelsea’s advances in the process.
It was with Southampton where Walcott truly became a prodigy, as he signed a sponsorship deal with Nike at 14, as well as becoming the club’s youngest player to ever feature for the reserves at 15 years and 175 days old. During that 2004-2005 season Walcott led the Saints’ to the FA Youth Cup final. He then broke into the Southampton first team the following season, making 21 appearances and scoring four goals over the first half of the campaign.
The January window arrived, with Theo, at that point a nominee for the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award (and later winning it), attracting interest from many of the biggest clubs in England. Admittedly a lifelong Liverpool fan, Walcott was given the choice of signing for Arsenal or Chelsea, with Southampton likely to accept bids from both clubs. Ultimately, Theo made the easy decision to ply his trade at Highbury under the watchful eye of Arsene Wenger, a man known transforming raw talent into bona fide superstars, unlike Chelsea, who did indeed submit a higher bid, but at the end of the day are a club whose claim to fame is recent monetary-influenced success, combined with a complete lack of history.
Walcott was handed the #32 shirt, but did not see any first team action during the 2005-2006 season. Despite this, then England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson controversially named Theo to the 2006 England World Cup roster. While Walcott did not see any time on the pitch that summer, the experience would nonetheless be considered beneficial to his overall development. Walcott would make his Premier League debut against Aston Villa on August 19, 2006, the opening match of the 2006-2007 season. He burst onto the scene soon after coming on as a substitute by setting up a goal for Gilberto Silva. His first goal for Arsenal did not come until the 2007 Football League Cup Final on February 25, 2007, where he gave Arsenal a 1-0 lead against none other than the club he twice turned down-Chelsea.
Walcott spent the next few years of his Arsenal career slowly improving. The boy who came to Arsenal at a mere 16 years of age looking more a track star than a footballer was progressing slower than many had hoped. The expectations were extremely high from the day he signed with the Gunners. Comparisons, largely due to his pace, were made to legendary striker and teammate Thierry Henry. Walcott would spend three years training with the Frenchman before his summer 2008 departure to Spanish giants Barcelona. Further fueling the comparisons and expectations Arsene Wenger handed Walcott the legendary #14 shirt, putting an end to his more reserve-like #32.
It was the 2008-2009 season that Theo found his first run of form as a regular starter, garnering 25 starts in all competitions. It was this season he would score his first Premier League goal as well, finishing the campaign with five goals and three assists in all competitions. While the statistics may not do his play service, there were undoubtedly flashes of consistency, a key turning point in a young footballers career, let alone one with so much hype. Theo’s play was evidently rewarded, as he was handed a contract extension following the season.
Unfortunately he would spend much of the 2009-2010 season out with various injuries, but came back extremely strong during 2010-2011 with 13 goals and 11 assists. The 2011-2012 season was the year of the Dutch skunk, in which Theo was labeled the assist man and officially a veteran of the squad. He would finish the season with nine goals along with nine assists. The departure of the skunk resulted in Theo’s further rise in significance. Wenger’s transfer policies left Arsenal with no Premier League experience at striker, coupled with Theo’s contract expiring at season’s end. Recent departures to key players left fans worldwide extremely skeptical in terms of expectations for the 2012-2013 season, which was further confirmed through the squad’s continual poor performances.
Despite the performance of the squad as a whole, Walcott was the lone shining star of the campaign. Arsenal and Walcott were very public about the two sides' inability to reach an agreement on a new contract, which only further sent Gooners worldwide into an absolute frenzy. The thought of losing a player many considered the lone goal-scorer at the club was simply unacceptable. The “Sign Da Ting” movement began, urging both the club and Walcott himself to reach an agreement and keep him at the Emirates. Walcott’s play early in the campaign was simply too good to not reward, as he received a three and a half year deal paying out 100k/week as he originally requested. As of April 10, 2013 Walcott has scored a total of 19 goals in all competitions along with 14 assists, both easily his highest totals with the club. With numbers like these, Walcott’s ascension from 16 year-old wonder-boy to standout member of the squad finally looks to be coming to fruition.
It was with Southampton where Walcott truly became a prodigy, as he signed a sponsorship deal with Nike at 14, as well as becoming the club’s youngest player to ever feature for the reserves at 15 years and 175 days old. During that 2004-2005 season Walcott led the Saints’ to the FA Youth Cup final. He then broke into the Southampton first team the following season, making 21 appearances and scoring four goals over the first half of the campaign.
The January window arrived, with Theo, at that point a nominee for the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award (and later winning it), attracting interest from many of the biggest clubs in England. Admittedly a lifelong Liverpool fan, Walcott was given the choice of signing for Arsenal or Chelsea, with Southampton likely to accept bids from both clubs. Ultimately, Theo made the easy decision to ply his trade at Highbury under the watchful eye of Arsene Wenger, a man known transforming raw talent into bona fide superstars, unlike Chelsea, who did indeed submit a higher bid, but at the end of the day are a club whose claim to fame is recent monetary-influenced success, combined with a complete lack of history.
Walcott was handed the #32 shirt, but did not see any first team action during the 2005-2006 season. Despite this, then England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson controversially named Theo to the 2006 England World Cup roster. While Walcott did not see any time on the pitch that summer, the experience would nonetheless be considered beneficial to his overall development. Walcott would make his Premier League debut against Aston Villa on August 19, 2006, the opening match of the 2006-2007 season. He burst onto the scene soon after coming on as a substitute by setting up a goal for Gilberto Silva. His first goal for Arsenal did not come until the 2007 Football League Cup Final on February 25, 2007, where he gave Arsenal a 1-0 lead against none other than the club he twice turned down-Chelsea.
Walcott spent the next few years of his Arsenal career slowly improving. The boy who came to Arsenal at a mere 16 years of age looking more a track star than a footballer was progressing slower than many had hoped. The expectations were extremely high from the day he signed with the Gunners. Comparisons, largely due to his pace, were made to legendary striker and teammate Thierry Henry. Walcott would spend three years training with the Frenchman before his summer 2008 departure to Spanish giants Barcelona. Further fueling the comparisons and expectations Arsene Wenger handed Walcott the legendary #14 shirt, putting an end to his more reserve-like #32.
It was the 2008-2009 season that Theo found his first run of form as a regular starter, garnering 25 starts in all competitions. It was this season he would score his first Premier League goal as well, finishing the campaign with five goals and three assists in all competitions. While the statistics may not do his play service, there were undoubtedly flashes of consistency, a key turning point in a young footballers career, let alone one with so much hype. Theo’s play was evidently rewarded, as he was handed a contract extension following the season.
Unfortunately he would spend much of the 2009-2010 season out with various injuries, but came back extremely strong during 2010-2011 with 13 goals and 11 assists. The 2011-2012 season was the year of the Dutch skunk, in which Theo was labeled the assist man and officially a veteran of the squad. He would finish the season with nine goals along with nine assists. The departure of the skunk resulted in Theo’s further rise in significance. Wenger’s transfer policies left Arsenal with no Premier League experience at striker, coupled with Theo’s contract expiring at season’s end. Recent departures to key players left fans worldwide extremely skeptical in terms of expectations for the 2012-2013 season, which was further confirmed through the squad’s continual poor performances.
Despite the performance of the squad as a whole, Walcott was the lone shining star of the campaign. Arsenal and Walcott were very public about the two sides' inability to reach an agreement on a new contract, which only further sent Gooners worldwide into an absolute frenzy. The thought of losing a player many considered the lone goal-scorer at the club was simply unacceptable. The “Sign Da Ting” movement began, urging both the club and Walcott himself to reach an agreement and keep him at the Emirates. Walcott’s play early in the campaign was simply too good to not reward, as he received a three and a half year deal paying out 100k/week as he originally requested. As of April 10, 2013 Walcott has scored a total of 19 goals in all competitions along with 14 assists, both easily his highest totals with the club. With numbers like these, Walcott’s ascension from 16 year-old wonder-boy to standout member of the squad finally looks to be coming to fruition.
