Former Aston Villa star Jack Grealish has named the ‘best youngster’ he’s ever played with and who he’s selected will come as a surprise to many.
Jack Grealish is inarguably the greatest ever player to come through the Aston Villa academy, having flourished in the first-team before pocketing the club £100 million from Manchester City.
Over his time at Villa Park and of course, at Man City, he’s had the luxury of playing with some world-class players but also highly talented youngsters.
Since completing his transfer to the Etihad, he’s shared a dressing room with some of Europe’s biggest young talents, including Oscar Bobb, Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and many others.
But when naming the best youngster he’s ever played with, it will be a surprise to many that he’s chosen someone who came through Villa’s academy.
Jack Grealish names Dan Crowley as the ‘best youngster’ he’s ever played with
Dan Crowley is a midfielder who came through the academy at a similar time to Grealish before moving to Arsenal at the age of 15.
During his time at the Gunners, he was likened to Jack Wilshere, which placed a huge amount of pressure on his young shoulders.
This comparison was something that impacted Crowley, who said: “It did add pressure probably without me even realising it because obviously I was still a young kid.
Since leaving the Emirates without making a senior appearance in 2017, the Englishman has been shipped from pillar to post, including to the Eredivisie where he played for Go Ahead Eagles, SC Cambuur and Willem II.
He’s also played for many clubs in the EFL, enduring spells at Birmingham City, Hull City, Cheltenham Town and Morecambe before most recently finding a home at Notts County, the club where Grealish was sent on loan as a young player.
On Friday night, Crowley showcased his quality in front of the Sky Sports cameras as County secured a 4-1 victory over Grimsby Town and the 27-year-old grabbed a goal and an assist.
Grealish watched the game from the comfort of his own home and showered Crowley with praise, claiming he was the ‘best youngster’ he played with on his Instagram story.
A surprise selection from Jack Grealish
No disrespect to Crowley, but it was a surprise to see Grealish label him with such an accolade, especially when he’s played with some of the best talents in the world at City.
That said, only he knows how good the Notts County playmaker was as a young player, with injuries and inconsistent form perhaps holding him back from fulfilling his potential.
Crowley is now showing glimpses of his talent however, he is playing in League Two and previously, he’s struggled to maintain solid form at a higher level.
It’s fair to say that the former Villa youngster hasn’t lived up to the potential that his formative years promised but he hasn’t been helped by constantly switching clubs.
Remarkably, his 54 appearances for County are the second most he’s managed for any club across the past decade.
