At 8.44pm on Tuesday evening, Seb Campbell made history at Plymouth Argyle Football Club. 13 hours and 46 minutes later, he was sitting in his Level Three BTEC in Sport at Plymouth City College.
The 16-year-old started the first year of his two-year scholarship with the Argyle Academy in July but quickly found himself training amongst Tom Cleverley’s first team at Harper’s Park.
Fast forward two months and, after captaining the Under-18s in league and cup play, being on the bench at Home Park, and travelling with the squad to matches away from home, Argyle’s number 41 was introduced to the Green Army under the lights.
Replacing Law McCabe in the centre of midfield, Seb’s energy was clear from the get-go, and although it took a while to get his first touch on the pitch, the unthinkable soon happened.
Owen Dale’s turn inside saw the ball ran away from him inside the area, falling straight to the feet of Campbell, and the rest is history.
A fired finish past Tottenham Hotspur Under-21s goalkeeper Luca Gunter meant Campbell became Argyle’s youngest-ever goalscorer at 16 years and 279 days, breaking a near three-decade-long record for the Pilgrims, held by Darren Bastow since November 1998.
By the following morning, Campbell and 17-year-old teammate Tegan Finn, who also starred in the 6-2 win over Spurs, were back to their academic studies. However, soon after the full-time whistle, Campbell’s beaming smile was yet to fade as he elatedly shared his thoughts upon hearing the news.
“I can’t believe it, really,” Seb explained. “It’s a dream come true to make my first-team debut and to come on and score, at the Devonport End as well - I’m buzzing. I can’t really put it into words!
“The ball sat up nicely in the box for me. I just struck it, and the ball hit the back of the net. I was just really happy and excited when it went in. It’s amazing [to be Argyle’s youngest-ever goalscorer], with the history of the club and everything around it, it’s an amazing feeling.
“I’ve been on the bench two or three times and to finally come on and get a goal as well, it’s an unbelievable feeling.”
