‘I scored a late winner against Ollie Watkins’

Sam Gargan began his career on the books at Brighton & Hove Albion

As the clock hit 90:00 in the Euro 2024 semi-final and England unearthed its newest unlikely hero, Sam Gargan celebrated like the rest of us.

Ollie Watkins’ last-gasp winner against the Netherlands sparked jubilant scenes across the country – including in Mr Gargan’s living room in East Sussex.

But rewind almost a decade and it was the Brighton-born footballer who scored a late winner against the England star – a day Mr Gargan says he will never forget.

Sam Gargan scored a late winner against Ollie Watkins' Weston-super-Mare in 2015

On 28 March 2015, Whitehawk’s dreams of a play-off spot in the National League South had been diminished after a 19-year-old Watkins netted a second-half equaliser for Weston-super-Mare at the Enclosed Ground.

In a match where both players started on the bench, Mr Gargan was substituted on with seven minutes to go and headed home a late winner.

“It’s hard to forget a game like that,” he said. “We were down to 10 men, pushing for play-offs and I scored a last-minute winner.”

The 35-year-old, who was nearing the end of an illustrious non-league career, said while he did not remember Watkins’ goal, he was not surprised at what the now Aston Villa star went on to achieve.

“He wasn’t their talisman striker. He wasn’t a big name then,” Mr Gargan said.

“He was just a young lad. But he was on the books at Exeter, so it wasn’t as if he wasn’t already playing at a good level.”

To put Watkins’ rise into perspective, the day before saw Harry Kane score against Lithuania on his England debut.

Little did he know at the time, but fast-forward nine years and Watkins and his England team-mates are to face Spain in the Euro 2024 final on Sunday.

Ollie Watkins scored a 90th minute winner to send England to the Euro 2024 final

Like Watkins, Mr Gargan also began his career on the books at a professional club.

He spent two years at Brighton & Hove Albion, making one appearance, and went on to play for Sutton United, Worthing, Welling United, Burgess Hill Town and more.

“I wasn’t getting into the Brighton team, so you go out on loan to get some adult game time rather than youth and reserve football,” he said.

“So I understand the position Ollie was in at that stage of his career.”

But Mr Gargan said that was where the similarities between the two strikers ended.

“I was a big, old fashioned number nine. Hence why my goal against him was a header from a corner,” he said.

“I was the complete opposite to what he is - apart from goal scoring.”

Mr Gargan also is no stranger to scoring vital goals having netted the winner to secure Whitehawk the Sussex Senior Cup for the first time in 50 years in 2012.

He also played alongside Watkins’ England teammate and Albion captain Lewis Dunk during their time in club’s reserve team.