It has been almost eight years since Ben Woodburn scored the goal that etched his name in Liverpool’s record books, and now he is the “happiest” he’s been in a long time after his summer move.
At the age of just 17 years, one month and 14 days, Woodburn became Liverpool’s youngest-ever goalscorer by netting against Leeds in the League Cup.
That 2016 appearance was his first of just 11 for the Reds, with four loan moves preceding his permanent departure in 2022.
He first joined Preston in the Championship and played 64 times before, again, being released as a free agent. It was League Two Salford City who secured his signature on a two-year contract.
It reunited Woodburn with manager Karl Robinson, who he worked with at Oxford United, and despite the step down to the fourth tier, he told Sky Sports he’s found his happy place.
“That was the main point of my next move, to just get somewhere and play games,” the Welshman, now 24, said. “I’m the happiest now I’ve been in a long time, playing football.”
A move down the tiers is something Woodburn admits he should have done earlier, but he is not one for regrets.
“Looking back now, it probably would have been the best decision to go a bit lower at first,” he continued. “But at the time, me and my support team all thought they were the right clubs.
“We can’t go back and change the past. It is what it is. It’s all part of the journey and I’m here now, and I’m ready to crack on.”
After admitting that the lack of game time had “been pretty frustrating,” he explained that “all I want to do is get on the pitch and play football.
“I’ve always felt like I’ve just needed game time to just play at my best and show everyone what I can do, and hopefully I can do that here.”
It is so far so good on that front as the 24-year-old has started four games and come off the bench on two occasions so far this season, equalling his minutes played for the entirety of last season!
