A-Z of Football with Cameron Archer
Voted Player of the Match on the Saints App after a goal and an assist in Southampton's 3-0 victory over Blackburn at St Mary's, Cameron Archer tackles our A-Z of Football feature, revealing some of the most memorable moments of his career to date...
A is for… Atmosphere
Best atmosphere you’ve played in?
A big one was Preston vs Blackpool, that was a big derby. And I scored in that one!
B is for… Banter
Funniest player you’ve shared a dressing room with?
Oli McBurnie at Sheffield United.
Celebrating with Oli McBurnie at Bramall Lane
C is for… Celebration
Favourite goal celebration in football history?
It has to be [Cristiano] Ronaldo’s because of the way he gets the crowd going as well.
D is for… Dream
What would be your ultimate football dream?
To win the World Cup.
E is for… Embarrassed
Most humiliating moment?
Scoring a goal, celebrating and it being offside. It happened against Brighton at home last season – it wasn’t VAR, but I scored and it was offside and I didn’t see the linesman.
F is for… Friend
Best mate in football?
Jacob Ramsey and Aaron Ramsey, as I grew up with those two at Aston Villa.
With Jacob Ramsey, now of Newcastle, in their Villa days
G is for… Goal
Best goal you have ever scored?
Probably for Aston Villa against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup. It was a header that hit the bar and went in.
H is for… Hardman
Toughest player you have come across?
Ezri Konsa. I’ve played against him twice, but also just in training as well. He’s quick, aggressive, strong… he’s got everything really.
I is for… Idol
Player you looked up to as a boy?
R9 (Brazilian Ronaldo) and Neymar.
J is for… Job
What would you do if you weren’t a footballer?
I don’t know. It was always football! I’d like to say a professional tennis player, or something in business.
K is for… Kit
Favourite ever football shirt?
The Arsenal burgundy kit, with Thierry Henry. It was the one from the last season at Highbury, that was nice.
Thierry Henry scores in Arsenal's final match at Highbury in 2006
L is for… Losing
What’s been the toughest loss of your career?
Losing in the semi-finals of the Championship play-offs for Middlesbrough against Coventry.
M is for… Match
Best match you’ve played in?
Probably Preston against Blackpool. I scored and we won [1-0]. They hadn’t played for a while – a bit like the Southampton and Portsmouth derby. I actually nearly killed the keeper in that game… I tried to move out of the way as he slid, but we collided and my knee banged into his head. It was probably about 10 minutes that he was on the floor, and then he had to go to hospital. Thankfully he was ok!
N is for… Notable
Football memento you will never give away?
Probably my European winner’s medal from the Under-21s with England.
Becoming a European champion with England Under-21s in 2023
O is for… Opponent
Best player you’ve faced?
I would say Mason Greenwood when I was playing for Villa Under-18s.
P is for… Pride
Proudest football achievement?
Making my first-team debut for Villa in the Carabao Cup against Crewe when I was 17.
Q is for… Quote
Something someone said that always stuck with you?
There are so many! Probably just something my dad would say: “Don’t let anyone mess you about.”
R is for… Routine
What does pre-match look like for you?
Wake up, have a coldish shower – not too cold, but not warm! Listen to music on the speaker at home – sometimes rap, sometimes gospel, sometimes ‘80s or house. Get ready, go to the ground and have my pre-match meal – I won’t eat before that. I’ll have seabass and rice with a beetroot shot. I used to hate beetroot, but I learned to like it! Then I’ll listen to music again in the dressing room, headphones on, just chilling. Then it depends how I’m feeling on the day – I might stretch and get a massage before we head out for the warm-up.
S is for… Support
Which team did you follow as a boy?
Aston Villa.
T is for… Teammate
Best player you’ve played with?
Philippe Coutinho. I remember the first day he trained – just so sharp, and he always knows exactly what he wants to do with the ball.
Philippe Coutinho celebrates scoring for Aston Villa
U is for… Unbelievable
Something about you we wouldn’t expect?
I’m quite a simple person, to be fair. I’ve got into tennis lately – I love watching Carlos Alcaraz. I used to be into my gaming, but no games are really fun at the moment – not until the new FIFA comes out! I enjoy films – anything that makes me feel like a different person after watching it.
V is for… Visitor
Favourite away ground?
Anywhere I’ve scored at! Where have I scored the most? Cardiff. I’d scored there before for Middlesbrough, and then scored two there on my first start for Southampton.
W is for… Worst
Worst thing about being a footballer?
Sometimes the attention. It’s nice to have that attention, but there are times when you don’t want to be around it, but the attention is still on you. So just being scrutinised all the time.
X is for… X-ray
Worst injury you have suffered?
Fractured vertebrae. I was out for four months when I was 15 or 16. It was one of those sharp pains that would take the breath out of you. It was more of a stress fracture than an impact injury.
Y is for… Youngsters
What piece of advice would you give an aspiring footballer?
Be resilient.
Z is for… Zzzzzz
Whose banter could send you to sleep?
Ryan Manning!
This interview was originally published inside SAINTS, the club’s matchday programme, for this season’s home game against Middlesbrough. Each edition of the programme contains a feature interview with a current player or the head coach.
