Saturday 18^th January. A day that Remy Rees-Dottin will never forget.

His first ever Premier League appearance at just 18 years young.

The versatile attacker from down south is guaranteed to bring flair and excitement to an already amazing season which 2024/25 has been for the Cherries.

A combination of extensive injuries and impressing Iraola, first-team opportunities have begun to arise for Remy. And no one has deserved it more than him.

He exclusively sat down with Buzz News to detail what the come up has been like so far, his emotions in big moments, people who have helped him along the way and his overall footballing journey.

Remy's football family

Remy was always going to be a footballer. It was his destiny. He had one of those childhood’s that many academy players would have experienced which includes the highs, the lows, confusion, and resolution. But it was that persistence. That resilience not many young footballers have or can even recognise at such a raw age.

As long as you can get past that first hurdle of rejection, a player’s willpower can only grow. Arguably, this is what makes the best footballers. No one makes it to the top without facing adversity. Luckily for Remy, he had people to give him that extra push when needed.

He said: “I've been in the academy system since the age of five or six and my parents have been driving me up and down the country, even with my setbacks.

“I was at Southampton up until the age of 12 and then got released there and my family just picked me straight up. They said, we know you're good enough to get into another club, you can go wherever you want and drove me up to Bournemouth.

“I had trials at Fulham, Wimbledon and luckily I got into Bournemouth and they've been driving me up and down ever since.”

Until you’re featuring regularly in academy games and ultimately pushing for a spot on the bench in the first team, then you can be certain that you are good enough. That you belong at this level.

Unfortunately, Remy had an injury riddled first season as a scholar which many probably thought would stunt his progress. But the talent is real. His route to the first team was simple after earning his professional contract in the year that he came back from injury. Remy did pick out some memorable people who have helped him progress on his journey. 

“I think I had a coach called Brian Stock in under-16s. He had a lot of faith in me. He was playing me in every position possible, but just having the confidence that I could play in those positions really helped me. Even staying on at training and doing some one-to-one bits afterwards was really good.

“Then my current manager now, Alan Connell, in the under-21s who I had in under-18s as well, he's always helped me. He's always been there for me, even through the rough patches when I wasn't playing as much, he still was looking out for me and doing as much as he could for me.”

First team experience

One can only imagine the feeling of getting that call. Making the squad for a home FA Cup tie versus West Bromwich Albion is one thing, but travelling away to Chelsea and making your Premier League debut at Newcastle is different gravy.

“[Getting subbed on at Newcastle] was definitely a very surreal experience and I didn't expect the score to go that well for us as well, so being able to come and make my Premier League debut was the best achievement of my career so far, so yes, I was very, very happy. All [Andoni Iraola] said was, when you get on the ball, enjoy it, try and beat your man and just have fun.”

There is that gulf in class when stepping up to the senior level. Although the talent may not be the most disparaging, it’s more so the discipline and focus the professionals have. Though, Remy noticed one standout player in first team training. A role model that has also been dishing out advice.

“Antoine, definitely. I remember the first couple of sessions, he's telling me what I'm missing out on dribbling, where I'm shooting and stuff, so it really helped me because obviously I don't get the same exposure to first team football in the 21s.”

Once you get that initial buzz. The one when you first reach that huge milestone. You just want to stay there. Of course you don’t want to go back to the under-21s. And each time a player is flirting around the first team spots, there is probably some slight apprehension. Bu Remy appears to be built different.

“I don't really get nervous, to be honest, even going into first-team games, but I think just knowing I'm confident in my ability, even if I do come on, I think I can make an impact in the game.”

“I think the most rewarding part [about being around senior players and staff], I'd say, is obviously you pick up on a lot. Going from the 21s up to first team football was obviously a big change in quality and intensity, so just learning from them every day and seeing what they're doing, seeing how they're recovering, preparing for their games is probably the biggest thing I take from it.”

From a parent’s point of view, it had to be a real pinch yourself moment hearing your son’s name being announced on the St James’ Park tannoy.

Making Bournemouth’s last two matchday squads in the Premier League is a huge achievement, and this will undoubtedly rise by the end of the season.

His feature may have been minimal, but it’s moments like those which drive a player.

Remy is an exciting one too. And when Cherries fans get a proper glimpse of what he can do, they will only want to see more.

Remy Rees-Dottin. One for the future.