Robinson grateful for Academy pathway
Jay Robinson explained how the Southampton pathway has accelerated his development after signing a new four-year contract at St Mary’s.
The 18-year-old initially joined the club at the age of 12, but soon found himself being fast-tracked through the year groups, allowing him to compete against physically more advanced players from a young age.
That bore fruit when Robinson made his Under-21s debut at 15, and, most recently, his first-team debut, just a month after turning 18, against Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday.
“It’s a great feeling, a proud moment for me and my family. I’m excited,” he said. “It’s a big milestone, making my debut and then signing my new contract a few days later.
“I was at QPR for a bit when I was young, and then moved here when I was about 12, 13, and just been working my way through the age groups ever since. I think I’ve improved a lot as a player and a person as well.
“I think it has definitely helped with adapting to how the game gets quicker the further you go up, so it’s just adapting to that. It’s really good, helping me improve, I’m learning a lot.”
On graduating to the first team, Robinson admits he’s just excited to be involved.
“I knew I was going to be moving up with them, but I didn’t know I was going to play. Whether I played or not, I was happy,” he said.
“It was a great feeling stepping on to the pitch, a moment I’ve worked so hard towards, so it was a big step towards being a professional player.”
On his long-term ambitions, having signed until 2029, he added: “Just to learn as much as possible. Just to be in the first team, play games, score goals.”
