The 10 Youngest Players to Play in the Premier League

16 year old Reece Oxford turned heads with his impressive display against Arsenal last weekend. The schoolboy kept things in check for the Hammers with a performance that belied his tender age. He isn’t the youngest, however, to feature in the EPL. We take a look at the youngest players to feature for their respective teams- some of them turned out to be stars, while others just faded out after promising starts.

10.  Mark Platts-16 years, 264 days

Platts debuted as a schoolboy for Sheffield Wednesday on February 10th  1996 when he came on as a late substitute for Chris Waddle in a 2-1 win over Wimbeldon, still a trainee. He turned professional in October of the same year, but failed to break into the first team squad again. He joined Torquay United and turned out over 40 times for them but was released after he complained of feeling homesick.
He now works in the steel construction industry.

9. Jack Wilshere-16 years, 255 days

Wilshere has long been heralded as one of the best players to come up from Arsenal’s youth ranks. He made his competitive debut for the Gunners in the Premier League against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park in September 2008, as an 84th-minute substitute for Robin van Persie. Since then, Wilshere has only grown in stature, winning accolades such as the PFA Young Player of the Year award in the 2010-11 season. Frequent injuries, however, have stopped him from achieving his full potential.

8. Jack Robinson-16 years, 250 days

Young Jack Robinson made his debut for Liverpool in Rafael Benitez’s final game in charge, in a 0-0 draw vs Hull City in May 2010. The left back showed a lot of promise, but opportunities at Anfield were few and far between, and he spent much of his short career there on loan. He switched to QPR in August 2014 and has most recently been on loan to Huddersfield Town.

7. Reece Oxford- 16 years, 236 days

The man of the moment! Oxford shut out Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil, Santi Cazorla and Co. so brilliantly on Sunday that comparisons are already being made to the greats. However, he can’t be judged on the basis of one performance only and it’s important that he gets some significant playing time under his belt first. Primarily a center half by trade, Oxford has a bright future to look forward to.6. Gary McSheffrey- 16 years, 198 days

Gary McSheffrey became the Premier League’s then youngest ever player when he turned out for Coventry City vs Aston Villa on 27 February 1999 in a game they won 4-1. He’s played for Stockport County, Luton Town, Birmingham City, Nottingham Forest and Leeds United and currently plies his trade with Scunthorpe United in League One.5.Jose Baxter- 16 years, 191 days

Jose Baxter began his footballing career with Everton and was handed his debut by David Moyes, playing the final 12 minutes against Blackburn on the first day of the 2008-09 season. The Toffees, however, never seemed to place a lot of trust in the youngster and after being a fringe player for long, Baxter decided to shift to Oldham Athletic where he enjoyed a more successful season. Currently, he plays for Sheffield United.4. Rushian Hepburn-Murphy- 16 years,176 days

The rather eloquently named Rushian Hepburn-Murphy debuted for Aston Villa in the midst of their tumultuous season last year. Manager Tim Sherwood, known for giving young players a chance, brought the  forward on for Christian Benteke in their 4-0 win over Sunderland. This year, with the Villa side having gone a complete overhaul, Hepburn-Murphy seems destined for more opportunities.3. Aaron Lennon- 16 years, 128 days

Aaron Lennon has been shining as one of Spurs’ best players for a long time now. However, it wasn’t White Hart Lane where he started out, but at Leeds United instead. In 2003, he became the youngest player to appear in the Premier League at the age of 16 years and 129 days, coming off the bench against (guess who?)Tottenham Hotspur in a 2–1 loss in August 2003.2. Isiah Brown- 16 years, 117 days

The explosive Izzy Brown has long been heralded as a precocious young talent waiting in the wings. It’s no wonder than West Brom chose to hand him a debut as a 16 year old against Wigan in 2013. Always on the radar of the big clubs, Brown was snapped up by Chelsea and has gone on to enjoy significant success as part of the Blues youth sides. Currently, he is on loan at Vitesse Arnhem in Holland.1. Mathew Briggs- 16 years, 64 days

The youngest? Matthew Briggs, who made his Premier League debut for Fulham barely two months after his 16 birthday on May 2007. That was it though, for a long time as Briggs struggled to break into the main Cottagers side, being sent on loan to sides such as Leyton Orient, Peterborough, Bristol City and eventually joining Millwall. Currently, he’s playing his trade for Colchester United.