The Evan Watts story isn’t that dissimilar to many who choose to take the professional route through a club’s academy. Like many kids in his formative years he was an all round sports person, but now he has set his sights on a long career in football.

When he signed his first professional contract in July 2023 at the Swans (that expires in June 2025 like so many others) he was described by academy goalkeeping coach Paul Wavell in glowing terms. “Evan’s journey has been incredible, especially with the amount of time he's missed during his career due to injury,” said head of academy goalkeeping, Paul Wavell. He's a local boy and he has just worked incredibly hard. He has developed a huge amount over the last eighteen months and he thoroughly deserves the opportunity to have a pro contract. He warrants it, he has been really open to learning and taking on information”

Evan has seen off competition from Archie Matthews, Ben Hughes, Kit Margetson, Lewis Webb and Remy Mitchell amongst others to fight his way to the verge of the first team squad. With Andy Fisher long term injured he is seeing progress as a distinct possibility. Under severe scrutiny these players find themselves in a dogfight for their professional futures, Evan included. Paul Wavell’s statement he is a ‘local boy’ is somewhat accurate, but this Pembrokeshire product who started at the same club as I did as a youngster has a back story worth noting.

An all rounder as a teenager, he played cricket, rugby and enjoyed swimming. He represented Pembrokeshire Harriers as an athlete. His cricket aspirations resulted in Welsh trials and he even turned down the Swans first approach, preferring to play locally in Pembrokeshire. He was very young. The Swans commitment to getting their target did work over the next twelve months and Evan started his Swans journey. His father Neil was always there to help and the sixty odd mile journey from Haverfordwest became a well beaten path. The tragic part of this journey came when he suffered injuries to both knees which he took three years to recover from, that was whilst at the Swans. The positive result was the sheer determination Evan showed in his recovery returning in the 2022/23 season. The Swans as a club really do look after their own in times like this.

First we go back to Pembrokeshire.

Evan initially attended a Swansea City training session programme at a school in Haverfordwest, and as a young teenager was spotted as a talent the Swans felt they could develop. That saw the initial rejection by the player, and as we have documented that didn’t put the Swans off. He played for the Camrose U13 side, a club I also played for in an attempt to recover from two cartridge operations, it didn’t work out for me but it did for Evan. Under the close guidance of his father at the club, Evan progressed. Initially though as a winger, and it was only at that Swans training session that he spent time in goal, he was there as an outfield player.

From the time he joined the Swans he has been highlighted as a star of the future, taking to the pitch to be introduced to the Swans faithful. And now a winning performance on Monday, on his twentieth birthday, against Bristol City U21 increased his profile. Really you should look at his goalkeeping below from that game.

And indeed that put him right into the spotlight as he took part in a post match interview. The maturity we see here displays a young man who knows how to handle a media situation.

It’s very hard to ignore talent, especially when not only it is displayed on the pitch but also during a well documented age grade progress returning Wales caps as well. We think you will see a lot more of Evan Watts, he has already displayed his desire to fight for a professional future. All he needs now is a contract extension that supports his hard work from the Swans. The club rarely produces players of this quality in a specialist position, so let’s get him tied up so he can flourish.

Photograph with permission Dimitris Legakis & Open Source

ReslovenSwan1 added 16:42 - Sep 25 He is technically 4 th in the pecking order but presumably training with the first team on occasions and playing every week with the u21. He has earned Wales u21 spurs with the successful current u21 team and chosen ahead of Ed Beach on occasions who has been on the bench for Chelsea no less. He has been coached to play out from the back and no doubt will have a ricket or two. Best to get them out of the way at u21 level. Vigoureax, McLaughlin, Broome, Watts, Hughes, Margetson. One hopes for a Roger Freestone figure who can 'hold the fort' for a decade out of the last three names. What is the point of the academy otherwise? Swansea should be the new home of Welsh international keepers with the highly rated current Welsh coach working for the club.

0

AFC Bournemouth Polls