A 17-year-old has scored the greatest debut goal of all-time for Southend United
Start as you mean to go on
What were you doing when you were 17? Probably either starting out, wide-eyed, in the uncompromising world of actual work, or finishing up the first year of your A-levels, thinking you knew it all, but actually - it turned out - knowing basically nothing.
But then, you are not Charlie Kelman, Basildon-born striker for League One side Southend United, who marked himself out as a one-to-watch for the future with an absolutely outrageous strike on debut, aged just 17.
With the Shrimpers 2-0 down at home to Plymouth Argyle, he was summoned from the bench in the 71st minute for his first senior appearance, undoubtedly being told to ‘make a name for himself’ and try and drag his team back into the game.
Unfortunately, two minutes after he came on, the Pilgrims increased their lead further with a goal from Ruben Lameiras, before Southend replied with an 85th-minute penalty from Simon Cox.
However, they weren’t finished yet and, with Kelman receiving the ball in his own half, just short of the halfway line, in the second minute of injury time, he spotted Argyle keeper Kyle Letheren off his line, and hit an outrageous lob over him to open his account in league football.
Just take a look at this beauty:
Sadly, there wasn’t enough time for an equaliser, with Plymouth running out 3-2 winners to move to within a point of escaping the relegation zone, while the Shrimpers lie in 12th, with their inconsistent form continuing.
So, while Kelman will undoubtedly tell the press that he’d have preferred the team won without him scoring, we all know he’ll be lying.
He scored 61 goals at youth level for Southend last season having spent much of his youth in Texas, including in the setup of FC Dallas, before moving back to the UK. He is currently eligible for both the US and England, so Gareth Southgate should probably keep a keen eye on his progress over the next few years.
Charlie Kelman: remember the name.
(Image: Screenshot)
