'I still hold the record, but Max Dowman is some player'
· Yahoo Sports
A former Ipswich Town player who is the youngest goalscorer in English top-flight football says Arsenal's Max Dowman will be "some player", after he came close to setting a new record.
The Gunners' attacking midfielder became the youngest scorer in the history of the Premier League on Saturday when he netted in the last minute against Everton, at the age of just 16 years and 73 days.
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The youngest player to score in the top flight remains former Tractor Boy Jason Dozzell, who opened his account when he was 16 years and 57 days old.
The midfielder scored his debut goal for Ipswich against Coventry City in a First Division match on 4 February 1984 – several years before the top division was relaunched as the Premier League.
"The record nearly got beaten this week by Max and records are there to be broken," Dozzell told the BBC.
"How he took his goal was quite amazing – the balance, the feet, the composure and the strength. So, I may have the record, but he's going be some player."
Jason Dozzell published an autobiography covering his childhood, playing career and struggles off the pitch in 2024 [John Fairhall/BBC]Dowman is not the only youngster to have come close to nabbing the record.
Dozzell's own son, Andre, scored on his Ipswich debut when he was just a few months older than his dad was.
"These aren't going to come around very regularly, so I think my record's going to stand for quite a bit from now," Dozzell Snr said.
"The record has stood for 40-odd years and, I can't lie to you, it's a record that I'm very proud of – it's the goal I still remember vividly."
Arsenal's young talent Max Dowman is quickly making a name for himself [Getty Images]Dozzell started his career at Ipswich in 1983 before securing a move to Tottenham Hotspur 10 years later.
He remained at White Hart Lane until 1997, during which time he enjoyed a brief loan spell back at Ipswich, before going on to play for Northampton Town and Colchester United.
After his record-breaking goal, Dozzell admits that he "rode the wave" for about a year and half.
'Stay away from the noise'
But despite Dowman's explosive start in an Arsenal shirt and the attention that will bring him, Dozzell believes he will keep his feet on the ground.
"Having looked at him, how he talks, how he speaks and how he plays, he looks very mature and he's got good people around him," he said.
"You've got to stay away from the noise but he looks quite steady and balanced in his life, which is the complete contrast to [how I was].
"He's going to ride this wave, like I did, but I have no doubt he will be fine."
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