FORMER TEDDINGTON SCHOOLBOY SCORES WINNER ON HIS PREMIERSHIP DEBUT
The former pupil at Collis School in Teddington made a dream debut in the Premiership this weekend scoring the winning goal for Brighton & Hove Albion against mighty Manchester City.
Midfielder Matt O’Riley, aged 23, signed for The seagulls in the summer for a five-year £30 million from Celtic but suffered a serious ankle injury in a pre-match friendly, which required surgery and delayed his first appearance.
O’Riley came off the bench in the 58th minute when Brighton were trailing 1-0 but Pedro equalised in the 78th minute and O’Riley scored the wining goal in the 83rd minute, sparking massive celebrations.
His winning goal made all the football newspaper reports on Sunday and creating a souvenir headline in the Sunday Times which read: ‘Blimey O’Riley- Pep Loses Four in Row For First Time.’
The young footballer, who plays international football for Denmark because of his Danish mother, grew up with his family in Teddington, living on Langham Road with his family.
He began his football journey at just eight-years-old when he joined Fulham’s Academy and made his championship debut there at 19. O’Riley then joined MK Dons in 2020 and Celtic in January 2022.
In his last season with Celtic, he scored 19 goals and was voted the Club’s Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year as well as winning the Young Player of the Year award.
Athletico Madrid, Chelsea, and Southampton all also showed interest in signing him.
O’Riley, who has scored 27 goals in 125 games for Celtic, collecting six winners’ medals, including three Scottish Premiership titles.