Armstrong On Everton ‘Dream’ & Key Teachings From Academy Years

Harrison Armstrong says it was always his dream to be a first teamer for Everton – and believes the Club’s Academy ensured he built the right mentality to fulfil his goal.

The 18-year-old midfielder impressed again at the weekend for the Blues, playing 120 minutes of Everton’s FA Cup third round penalty-shootout defeat to Sunderland at Hill Dickinson Stadium – the youngster’s third game back since being recalled from his loan at Preston North End.

After signing his Academy scholarship in the summer of 2023, Armstrong has been on a steep trajectory to the first team, making his Under-21s debut in December 2023 and going on to earn a maiden senior appearance in August 2024.

“I think my dream was to do that,” Armstrong told evertontv. “I'm not going to sit here and lie and say that it was something that I was never wanting to do. I was always quite greedy. I always wanted more. 

“I never just wanted to settle for, you know, moving up to the 21s and playing a few games. I always looked on to the next thing. And I think that says a lot about my personality at times. 

“But I think I try not to put too much pressure on myself. I think what comes naturally to me and what's best to happen will happen for me.

“But obviously, it comes from hard work and taking your chances when you get it.”

Both Everton manager David Moyes and Under-21s head coach Paul Tait have praised the mature attitude of the West-Derby-born graduate, who joined the Toffees Academy aged five.

“I think being in the Academy from so young, they instil lots of personality traits and, you know, how morals of what an Everton player should be," he continued.

“I think each person always has their own individual traits, but [the Everton morals were] always hard work and competing.

“I think I've kept that throughout the age groups, and I think I've taken to that more than other things and it's really helped me.”

There have been recent successes elsewhere for the Academy, too. Saturday’s Cup tie against Sunderland saw a competitive senior Everton debut for young defender Elijah Campbell.

Reece Welch earned a third competitive senior appearance while there were places on the substitutes’ bench for youngsters Callum Bates, Braiden Graham and Malik Olayiwola.

Reflecting on his time progressing through the Club’s youth ranks, Armstrong added: “Yeah, I look back on it really fondly. I think I've got some really good relationships.

“Some of the lads are still here in the Under-21s and some are doing really well and really pushing on. 

“Others have obviously broken off and gone on to do other things. But yeah, it was a really good group. It taught me a lot of things. Even away from football, I was finding myself being a lot more independent and not having to rely on other people to do things for me.

“I really loved it here, hence the fact why I've stayed here so long.”