Even after all the fanfare, Ben Woodburn insists the limelight didn’t come too early to prove a hindrance to his development.
In November 2016 he became Liverpool’s youngest ever goalscorer at the age of just 17 years and 45 days, when he came off the bench in their EFL Cup quarter-final against Leeds United and netted late in their 2-0 win.
“That was my favourite ever moment,” he tells Sky Sports. “Something I’d dreamt of as a kid. It was unbelievable.”
In many ways Woodburn still was a kid. But one that was thrust into the limelight and found himself training under Jurgen Klopp with the first team.
“It all feels so long ago now!” the midfielder, now 24 and playing for Salford City in League Two, reflects. “It was obviously an amazing time when it was all happening, but you just kind of get used to it and crack on.
“Hopefully I can get back to those levels.”
Woodburn became Liverpool’s youngest ever goalscorer in 2016
Despite the attention, and the premature expectation, Woodburn insists it didn’t prove a hindrance.
“I don’t think so,” is his response when that particular question is posed to him.
“I was training with the best players in the world at the time, so I was always getting better.
Woodburn (R) in Liverpool training alongside Joel Matip, Naby Keita and Trent Alexander-Arnold
“It was an unreal experience. I learned so much. They were winning so many games and you saw a lot into their mentality.
“I just needed more game time. If I’d had lots and lots of that early on I probably could have kicked on earlier.”
Monday 2nd September 7:30pm
Kick off 8:00pm
It may have been the next stage that caused the issues. Four separate loan moves across the EFL and with Hearts in the Scottish Premiership failed to really work out.
In the end he only made 11 appearances for Liverpool, before a permanent to Preston in the Championship. It was another move that failed to prove fruitful.
Woodburn with former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp
“It’s been pretty frustrating,” he admits. “All I want to do is get on the pitch and play football.
“I’ve always felt like I’ve just needed game time to just play at my best and show everyone what I can do and hopefully I can do that here.”
Now down in the fourth tier at Salford, the midfielder insists he wouldn’t change a thing. What has happened, happened. He can’t control that.
“Looking back now it probably would have been the best decision to go a bit lower at first,” he says. “But at the time me and my support team all thought they were the right clubs.
“We can’t go back and change the past,” he says. “It is what it is. It’s all part of the journey and I’m here now and I’m ready to crack on.”
Woodburn in action for Preston in 2022
Woodburn has started Salford’s last three games now heading into their clash with MK Dons on Monday night – live on Sky Sports Football.
They may be yet to win, but Woodburn is just relieved to be an integral part of things again.
“That was the main point of my next move, to just get somewhere and play games,” he admits.
“I’m the happiest now I’ve been in a long time, playing football.”
Woodburn will be hoping that is all he needs to finally start to live up to that early potential.
