I was wanted by Arsenal but my price-tag forced them to get Walcott – I ended up on Gogglebox instead

TRISTAN PLUMMER was once tipped for a transfer to Arsenal.

But he eventually lit up TV screens across the country for a very different reason – as a star on Gogglebox.

Plummer, 33, burst on to the scene in the Bristol City academy as an exciting young winger.

And in 2006, there were reports the Gunners were keen to snap up the talented teen.

Everton and Chelsea were also said to be interested in trying to land Plummer – despite Bristol City coaches apparently HIDING him from the view of the Blues’ scouts.

Plummer told Bristol Live: “I made my Under-18s debut at the age of 14 or 15 against Aston Villa.

“I remember that because we would always lose to them and I was thinking ‘Jeez, I’m playing against men, here.’

“A couple of weeks later I made my FA Youth Cup debut.

“After they didn’t make me go out straight after the game because there were a few Chelsea scouts watching the game.

“I ended up doing well in that game and the scouts started coming along and a few England scouts were there too.”

FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS

But as the speculation around the youngster’s future rose, Bristol City quoted the likes of Arsenal and others £1-2million for Plummer.

And the Robins owner Steve Lansdown made a personal plea to the youngster to sign a professional contract at Ashton Gate as soon as he turned 17.

Plummer added: “As a 17-year-old growing up from where I was from and having to make those decisions, it was pretty difficult.

“I remember being in my house and someone was running across with a newspaper and they were like, ‘You’re in the newspaper!’

“‘Plummer wanted by Arsenal’ – I was like, ‘Wow’.

“The club said Arsenal were talking about you but City shut that down straight away.

“The selling price was ridiculous saying they wanted one or two million for me at the age of 17 but all they only would have had to pay was the compensation because I hadn’t signed the contract.

“That scared me a bit because I thought if I see out my scholarship and then I can’t get it agreed, then I don’t have a club.”

WENT THEO-THER WAY

As a result, Plummer signed on the dotted line and stayed put at Bristol City – before Arsenal sourced another teenage winger in the form of Theo Walcott.

Walcott joined the Gunners for £5m in January 2006 – five months later he went to the World Cup aged just 16.

Meanwhile, Plummer appeared for England at Under-16, U17 and U18 level, racking up 26 caps alongside the likes of Danny Welbeck and Danny Rose.

Plummer was a substitute in the 2007 U17 Euros final – but could find no way past Spain goalkeeper David De Gea while Bojan scored a stunning winner.

The Englishman landed a sponsorship deal with Puma – giving out freebies to friends and family – but his career fizzled out.

He was assured of a first-team Bristol City debut by 17… but it never arrived and he went out on loan to Luton, Torquay, Hereford and Gillingham before leaving his boyhood club for Portuguese side Portimonense in 2011.

He returned a year later and had a journeyman career in non-league, including four spells at Weston-super-Mare.

I didn’t fulfil my potential but it happens… I don’t cry over spilled milk

Tristan Plummer

Plummer added: “That was my ambition to play for Bristol City and I always wanted to like come out at Ashton Gate and be in front of the fans and have my family come out and watch me because I’m a Bristol boy.

“I was always homesick when I went away with football so I always wanted to be a legend in the city as every kid wanted.

“I loved playing for Bristol City and just wanted to do my best so it does kind of upset me in a way.

“Obviously, things happen for a reason that I didn’t fulfil my potential but it happens. I don’t cry over spilled milk.”

Now Plummer has made a name for himself alongside brothers Tremaine and Twaine on popular Channel 4 show Gogglebox.

But asked whether he has regrets about how his career has panned out, Plummer said: “I don’t regret it because I have two beautiful kids now. Maybe if I moved away, I wouldn’t have had them and now I’m doing other things that I enjoy doing.

“Maybe I could have been in a better position financially but at the end of the day my happiness is more important, I’m happy and I came to terms with that ages ago. I hold no grudge or resentment towards the manager or club.

“Playing for the academy was the best time of my life.”

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk