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Meet John Bostock, aged 15, the boy Barcelona can't buy
EXCLUSIVE By NEIL ASHTON - More by this author » Last updated at 11:42am on 31st October 2007

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Chelsea are champing at the bit. Barcelona will be back in for him before long. And Manchester United have already put down their marker.

At the age of 15 years and 289 days, John Bostock has suddenly become big news. Fazed? No fear.

Bostock

PICTURE EXCLUSIVE By GRAHAM CHADWICK Yesterday, 3.30pm: Bostock makes keepy-uppy look like child’s play at the Nautical School, Blackfriars

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The morning after becoming the youngest player to pull on the red and blue stripes of Crystal Palace, Bostock was back at school in Blackfriars, south London, yesterday and wondering whether he had done enough to stay in the team for the trip to Scunthorpe on Saturday.

Scunthorpe away?

Hardly every schoolboy's fantasy, but Glanford Park is the next port of call for a player who has a season ticket in the Arthur Wait Stand at Selhurst Park and hopes to emulate Ian Wright, Attilio Lombardo and Dougie Freedman.

Bostock made his debut as a second-half substitute against Watford, runaway Championship leaders, and in 18 minutes he gave Palace's increasingly rattled fans something to cling to: hope.

His name has been added to a list of 34 players, including Matthew Etherington, Peter Lorimer and Neil McNab, who have made their competitive debuts for a professional team under the age of 16.

Even Duncan Edwards, the Manchester United wing half who lost his life in the Munich air crash 49 years ago, had to wait until he turned 16 before making his debut for the Busby Babes. Bostock must be some player.

Former Palace manager Peter Taylor said yesterday: "Bostock will not just be a good player — he can be a great player. He has a good left foot and that makes him easy on the eye, he is a good size, can run all day, pass short and pass long.

"When he first started training with the first team he would take three touches of the ball, but I encouraged him to watch Gareth Barry and Cesc Fabregas; they take one and still they never lose it.

"He's a fantastic talent, no doubt about it. When he had that freekick near the end against Watford, I was willing him to fill his boots."

No question, Bostock means business. Aidy Boothroyd's side are on the fast track back to the Premier League but Bostock will not be far behind.

The way he shrugged off challenges from the likes of Watford skipper Gavin Mahon, a player who has been around the block, suggest Bostock can handle himself where it hurts.

Something had to stir in south London and Bostock, a courteous, intelligent and articulate young man, will soon be a fixture in Palace's first team.

He returned to school yesterday and spent most of the afternoon signing autographs for star-struck pupils, but Bostock will not be fazed by the prospect of fame.

Bostock

Chalk and cheese: Bostock makes history

Neil McGregor, deputy head teacher and head of PE at the Nautical School in Blackfriars, said: 'He has a lot of humility, he's very honest and there is no danger of him ever becoming a Big Time Charlie. His feet are firmly on the ground and we're very proud of him.

"He is very good academically — an A star pupil without question — and he has university potential if he decides to go down that route. He is gifted athletically and he could be an international sprinter — he holds the record for the Lambeth Schools 110metre hurdles."

Even the headmaster's PA referred to Bostock as "a remarkable young man" yesterday, but his parents can take immense satisfaction for his upbringing.

Raised in Camberwell, his mum Christine, a teacher, and dad Mick, who is also a Palace fanatic, have been with the boy every step of the way.

Bostock watched Palace's 2-2 draw with Leicester in the stands with his dad back in August but two months later he was sitting on the substitutes' bench. Talk about living the dream.

He beat competition from 200 kids to win a place at the Palace academy when he was just seven and the path that could ultimately lead to the Premier League has been mapped out ever since.

Complications with the FA prevented Bostock playing for Palace before their 2-0 defeat against Watford but the England Under 17 midfielder is relishing the prospect of leading his club away from the relegation zone.

Palace manager Neil Warnock said: "The lad is more concerned with his football than anything else and so is his dad. Mick is incredibly level headed and he has been wonderful to deal with. John is a smashing lad and we want to build a team around him."

So do others. Barcelona have enquired and teams from the top reaches of the Premier League have tempted Palace chairman Simon Jordan to sell the brightest academy prospect in the club's 102-year history, but Bostock is red and blue through and through.

"He's a Palace nut and I want him to stay for two or three years," said Warnock. "There are five or six other young players here, such as Victor Moses and John Hills, who can make a name for themselves.

"His position will be central midfield, where he can dictate things and decide when to get things going. He has a good touch and good vision but I will have to tell him to cut out the showboating.

"I remember Palace being billed as the Team of the Eighties and I wanted to recreate that here with the number of young players we have at the club."

Ah, the Team of the Eighties. The team Terry Venables built around the likes of Kenny Sansom, Terry Fenwick, Vince Hilaire, Jerry Murphy and Dave Swindlehurst.

"The fans want an exciting team to watch and that's what I want to create," added Warnock.

With Bostock on the scene, he has certainly made a start.


BOYS BRIGADE
Three Premier League stars who made their professional debuts not long after leaving school...

JOE COLE was watched by Barcelona as a schoolboy, trained with Arsenal and sat on the Manchester United team coach alongside Eric Cantona on the way to the 1996 FA Cup Final. But he chose West Ham, played in their 9-0 Youth Cup Final win over Coventry in 1999 and was fast-tracked into the first team at 17.

THEO WALCOTT was 16 years and 143 days old when he made his Southampton debut. Still aged 16, he joined Arsenal in a £12million deal. He was the shock name in the England 2006 World Cup squad and became the youngest England player at 17 years and 75 days when he came on in the 3-1 win against Hungary in May 2006.

WAYNE ROONEY was five days short of his 17th birthday when he became the Premier League's youngest scorer (since surpassed by James Milner and James Vaughan) for Everton against Arsenal. Excelled for Liverpool Schools before joining his boyhood idols aged 11.

[dada]

Trying to bring him to Fergie's attention?