Jack Wilshere

Jack Wilshare

Wilshere was born in Stevenage, Hertfordshire 1 January 1992 and currently lives in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. He grew up in Hitchin, attending Whitehill Primary School and The Priory School. He captained The Priory School Football team to County Cup and District Cup glory from Year 7 through to Year 10, and also added the Under 15s National Cup to his list in Year 8, playing alongside Leyton Orient's Jake Argent-Martin and Jack Reeves.

He joined Arsenal in 2001 as a nine-year-old and has enjoyed a meteoric rise ever since. By 16 he had made his Reserve team debut and he became Arsenal's youngest ever League player when he came on at Blackburn in September 2008 aged 16 years and 256 days.

Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger gave Wilshere a place in Arsenal's first team squad for the 2008–09 season, and he was given the number 19 shirt which he has retained to this day. He made his competitive debut in a Premier League match against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park in September 2008, as an 84th-minute substitute for Robin van Persie. At the age of 16 years and 256 days, he was Arsenal's youngest-ever league debutante, a record previously held by Cesc Fàbregas.

On 29 January 2010, Wilshere joined Premier League side Bolton Wanderers on loan until the end of the 2009–10 season.

The 2010–11 football season was a year of breakthrough for Wilshere. On 15 August 2010, he made his first start in the Premier League for Arsenal against Liverpool at Anfield. On 9 February 2011 he made his full England debut when he started in a friendly against Denmark. He impressed despite playing in an unfamiliar role just in front of the defence and was praised by Fabio Capello. On April 2011, Wilshere won the PFA Young Player of the Year award, and was also named in the PFA Team of the Year for the 2010-2011 season.

Honours

Individual

PFA Young Player of the Year: 2010–11

PFA Team of the Year: 2010–11