Whitehawk: Ex-footballer recalls late winner against Ollie Watkins

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.