Youngster joins the crop of talented local lads at the U's
Saturday's game at Tranmere saw another one of Oxford United’s promising youngsters make his senior debut. 19-year-old Aidan Hawtin has had to stay patient but was given the closing stages of the win at Prenton Park to make his first appearance in the Football League.
“I know it’s a cliché but it’s the best day of my life so far” he told us. The versatile Hawtin can play out wide, at full back and in central midfield and might even have marked his debut with a goal...
“I had a couple of chances” he said. “One I was running at the defender and wanted him to come to me so I could slip Micky Collins in on goal, and then James Roberts had a shot that came back to me off the post but I was off balance. I have thought about those incidents since then and it’s all about learning and getting experience I suppose.”
We asked Aidan when he knew he was playing, and he was typically modest in his reply:
“I was told I was travelling on Thursday but it wasn’t until we were training on Friday at Chester that I looked around and realised there were 18 people and so I must be on the bench! I obviously hoped I’d get on but wasn’t expecting to. But the rest of the players seemed to know more than I did and kept telling me to warm up, even when we got to the 80th minute. Then it got to about 88 and they were still telling me to keep warm and the gaffer looked round and told me I was going on.”
The local lads are doing well at the U’s. Aidan joins Callum O’Dowda, Max Crocombe, Sam Long and Josh Ashby in playing for the senior side this season, with winger Sam Humphreys having been on the bench as well. “Sam’s worked so hard and it would be great if he were to get on and get a run out like I did at some stage as well” Aidan says.
With younger brother Cameron also coming on as a sub for the under 18 side on Saturday it was a good day for the Hawtin household but Aidan is realistic in setting targets for the next couple of weeks.
“There are two games left so hopefully I can stay involved with the squad, maybe get another chance, and then see what happens from there.”