Tom Davies - Everton FC

Alan Whittle was a product of the Everton F.C. youth academy and debuted for the first-team in 1967 at the age of 17 and produced an immediate impact with his energetic play and goal scoring.. In 5 years at Everton he only made 74 appearances and scored 21 goals, but found it difficult to establish himself in such a star studded first-team although he was called up to the England squad by Sir Alf Ramsey.

Tom Davies is his nephew and his natural ability was not lost on the England selectors who made him u-17s captain for the 2015 World Cup in Chile. He was unexpectedly rewarded for his progress with England u-17s by being invited to train with Roy Hodgson’s senior squad. “The squad were really good with me and Ross Barkley helped me a lot,” he said. “He walked out and went through the warm-up with me, so he just generally looked after me, which was really nice. “I even managed to score twice. I had Raheem Sterling and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain attacking with me, which was unbelievable as they are both top players.”

Tom is an academy graduate of Everton, having joined the club at the age of 11 and was rewarded with his first professional contract on 30 September 2015. He was handed his Premier League debut by manager Roberto Martinez on 16 April 2016 in a 1–1 draw with Southampton at home when he came on as an 83rd-minute substitute for Darren Gibson.On the final day of  last season, following the sacking of Roberto Martínez, he was handed his first start for Everton by interim manager David Unsworth  in a 3–0 win over Norwich when his performance over the course of the 90 minutes earned him the M.O.M. award.

He signed a new five-year contract with Everton in August 2016 and made his first start of the season on 2 January 2017 and registered his first assist for the club in a 3–0 win against Southampton before he scored his first goal for the club on 15 January 2017 in the 4–0 league victory over Man City when he was also awarded Man of the Match award.

But to those who know him best, Davies's display against Manchester City was not just pleasing, it was wholly expected. David Unsworth, Everton's well respected under-23s manager, has been championing the teenager's cause for some time with others in the club's youth set-up having long since earmarked Davies as a potential first team player. It wasn't that he had the most talent, it was that his attitude, particularly his willingness to listen and determination to improve, that set him apart.

It was that desire which saw Davies spend countless hours working on his passing, his movement and his general skill set at Liverpool's Calderstones Park in his younger days when it was not even clear whether or not he would go on to have a career in professional football. Accompanied by his father, Tony, a player who held his own in Liverpool's ultra competitive amateur leagues, Davies would regularly travel to the park where he would attempt to improve his technique in the belief that his natural energy and speed across the ground would become even more effective if accompanied by a better touch.

Now an excitement has been unleashed yet the one person least likely to be caught up in it is Tom Davies himself. Laid back to the point of being impervious to the kind of hype he has provoked, this is one youngster who should be expected to fulfil his potential, whatever that may be.