It was a landmark moment for Academy of Football graduate Ollie Scarles on Saturday, as the young defender made his first Premier League start in our incredible 1-0 win against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium.
Scarles is a true product of the West Ham United Academy. Having signed his first official forms with the Club aged eleven, he has worked his way through the age groups.
The vision Scarles had when he joined the Club eight years ago has come to fruition. The now 19-year-old, who made his senior bow aged just 16 years and eleven months, in a UEFA Europa Conference League win over FCSB in Romania in November 2022, is a shining example to all among West Ham's youth set-up, and it’s become apparent that there is another potential first-team star on the horizon.
“I couldn't ask for anything else from today really,” said Scarles at the full-time whistle in north London. “It was such a brilliant performance from start to end from the boys. We got the goal and defended so well to keep the clean sheet.
“It’s a tough place to come, they [Arsenal] are fighting for the Premier League title. They're second in the table, and to come here and get all three points is amazing.”
Scarles has certainly been knocking on the door. A regular around the first-team squad for a while now, he has made seven substitute appearances in the top flight in addition to the start he made in the FA Cup third round at Aston Villa.
An assured display against the Gunners hinted at a bright future for the defender in the Premier League. And, after achieving yet another positive result on Arsenal's home turf, the left-back expressed pride in his performance and gratitude for the opportunity to step into the starting XI.
“To be fair, I actually found out I was starting in a meeting earlier on in the week,” Scarles said. “We worked on shape and stuff, so I knew fairly early.
“It was a shock to me, I guess, as I didn't really expect it. Obviously, I'm grateful for all the minutes I've had so far, coming off the bench.
“But to get a start and then to put in a performance like that with the boys and get all three points, I couldn't ask for any more.
“It was tough. I was feeling my legs at the end, but we all got through it, and it was about sticking together.
“The last 15 minutes were quite tough because they kept coming at us, but we didn't give in and kept fighting, and I think you can see out there that all the boys are together.
“He’s [Graham Potter] been really influential in my play and style of play, and I’m grateful for the trust that I've had from him. I couldn’t be more grateful for the minutes that he's given me and the trust that he's put in me. It's just about pushing on now.”
Among the crowd of 60,262, Scarles' nearest and dearest were watching on with the travelling Claret and Blue army at Emirates Stadium.
He added: “I had my Mum, my Dad, my Brother and one of his mates here, so it was nice to spend the moment with them. I'm sure they're all really proud of me.”
