13-YEAR-OLD Christopher Atherton has become the youngest ever senior footballer in the UK after coming on as a substitute in Glenavon’s Irish League Cup clash with Dollingstown last night.
The teenager has broken the record set by Dubliner Eamonn Collins who appeared for Blackpool aged 14 years and 323 days, in 1980.
Tonight, Glenavon Academy player Christopher Atherton made his first team debut against Dollingstown in the League Cup. At 1⃣3⃣ yrs and 3⃣2⃣9⃣ days old, he became the youngest player in the UK to play in a first-class match.
— Glenavon FC (@Glenavon_FC) September 13, 2022
Congratulations Christo!!👏🏼💙 pic.twitter.com/hypGdC5R7p
Atherton, at at 13 years and 329 days old, came on as a second-half substitute at Mourneview. His first touch was an assist for his side’s sixth goal in their 6-0 win.
Collins set the previous UK record in the quarter-final first-leg of the Anglo Scottish Cup against Kilmarnock at Bloomfield Road on 9 September, 1980.
The world record for the youngest professional player was set by 11-year-old Eric Godpower Marshall last year when he played for Liberian side Gar’ou against Haifa FC.
Congratulations to Christo Atherton, the youngest ever player to play senior football competitively in the UK, making his debut with Glenavon at age 13! Christo is a dedicated, committed young person. We wish him continued success as he develops his talents and footballing career pic.twitter.com/EX99s3jEWo
— St. Patrick's Academy (@AcademyDgn) September 14, 2022
Originally published at 10.54
Paul O Donavan, our greatest ever Olympian
@Cathal Scully: FACT
@Square: no argument. Another great performance by the lads.
@Cathal Scully: fluke!
@Kevin Dillon: he makes me laugh all the time his interviews are amazing sure its just a fluke lol
Brilliant lads! What a win and it looked so comfortable too. The stroke rate perfectly increasing into that last 500m. Left the Greeks and Italians in their wake over the last 250m too.
Brillent legends up skibbereen
Some achievement ! Well done
The boys having the craic and winning gold medals for fun.
@Joe O’Regan: Great to see fellas enjoying what they do while being totally focused and successful. Mighty crac when they get home to Skib.
@TL55: that’s why they are successful. Being down to earth and grounded means they are calm under pressure. The two of them are amazing.
@Joe O’Regan: 100%
Incredible! Bravo lads, outstanding.
Well that’s a terrible start to the day for Ray Ridge
@anthony davoren: he’s devastated I’d say
@anthony davoren: Come on now, Anthony, this isn’t about me. Let’s congratulate the lads on a gold medal and stop obsessing about me for a moment.
@Ray Ridge: lol
@Sean: Lots of love to you too, Sean xx
@Ray Ridge: it’s ok Ray two other teams failed to win medals today, you can double down on them to get your fill of negativity out of the way for the day. You were riding the crest of a wave yesterday with the boxers
@anthony davoren: Ya, I saw that Anthony. Poor start to the track and field for us also. All 3 runners were tailed off in the 1500m heats. Sailers messed up at the start there also. Bar, the skibb rowers who were expected to medal, it has been another poor morning overall for our athletes.
@Ray Ridge: 5 medals allready gym guy tommorry rory on a charge show jumpers in with a great chance later poor morning wtf we won gold ya spoon
@Square: Lads, Ray only exists because ye give him purpose by replying to him and mentioning him. If everyone would just ignore him he’d disappear because all he wants is the reaction. You can’t win with words because you acknowledging he exists is his goal. Wise up please.
@PJ Smith: he just a bit of fun
@PJ Smith: Maybe take some of his comments with a pinch of salt?
@PJ Smith: ah it is funny seeing the ridiculous stuff he posts. Nobody here gives him a morsel of credibility. He’s a troll but it’s fun firing his own rubbish back at him :D
Absolutely top class. Go on the Cork boys!!!
Yesssss!
Ah class lads. Tears in the eyes even before they crossed the line. Jaysus the amount of Irish in the crowd LOL. Helluva way to sign off the lightweights for the pair of them. Legends.
Fintan McCarthy a ringer for a young Matt Damon…those rowing boys are tough as nails , fair play to them, brilliant performance
Outstanding athletes. Congratulations
RTE geo blocked in the north and BBC showing diving highlights… raging couldn’t watch it!
@MickA: mick try this link for whatever event they block. I just caught the lads final https://www.vipbox.lc/
@MickA: That’s a disgrace. There should be some form of agreement between north and south that neither network be geo blocked. Shouldn’t have to miss out on an historic win like this
Ridge would say they should have won by more
@Gary Galligan: once again Ridge has been humbled. You love to see it, and the silence is deafening
Incredible achievement. Well done lads, so lucky to have these boys to cheer on.
Cork for the win, what did ye expect that’s what we do.
@Marc O Connell: Apart from the hurling final?