‘Thank you’ – Tottenham teen Jamie Donley reacts after full debut against Manchester City
Among all the chaos of the six-goal thriller at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday (3 December), it was easy for Jamie Donley’s Tottenham debut to be lost in the shuffle.
Heading into the match against reigning Premier League champions Manchester City, many expected Spurs to suffer another miserable outing and be condemned to a fourth consecutive defeat.
Instead, it ended up being quite a positive trip up north for the club as they picked up a surprise point and showed a fantastic sense of character and resilience to earn that point, and there was more for Spurs fans to smile about as in-form teenager Donley came on to make his debut for the club.
Reacting to this milestone via his personal Instagram page (3 December), Donley wrote: “Spurs debut. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of my journey.”
His comments section was full of praise from Spurs fans and players alike, with first-team star Brennan Johnson writing “My boyyyyyy” underneath the young striker’s post, demonstrating the high esteem he is held in by those around the club.
And it is not difficult to see why he is regarded so highly at Hotspur Way after his incredible season in Premier League 2, where he has helped fire Tottenham Under-21s to a seven-point advantage at the top of the division.
On a personal level, he has eight goals and three assists across 11 appearances in the competition, while he has also netted twice and assisted three times in two EFL Trophy outings.
Donley translated this form to the international stage in November, scoring five times across three appearances for England Under-19s as they lifted the Marbella Cup.
This season has seen 18-year-old Donley really step up and flourish for the Under-21s after he was initially introduced to the setup last season, only managing three goals in 21 appearances during that campaign.
His promotion to the Under-21s came off the back of an impressive season with the Under-18s where he scored 16 goals and provided six assists during the 2021/22 U18 Premier League season.
It is clear the teen is a prolific goalscorer and after progressing through the youth ranks in north London he will now have his eyes firmly set on making the jump to senior football, especially off the back of his debut.
Coming off the bench away at the home of the Premier League champions is not a bad way to make that debut, and although he was on the pitch for just one minute he still managed to make an impact, winning his one aerial duel and making a clearance (Sofascore) as he helped his side hold on for a draw.
Ange Postecoglou showcased the confidence he clearly has in Donley by bringing him on in that environment, and the Australian could offer the youngster a few more minutes across the coming month as Spurs get ready for a busy schedule with a fairly depleted squad.
In other Tottenham news, a Spurs expert has named a potential January transfer which he is sure can be done.