Academy of Football: West Ham's Sam Howes

For such a historical and esteemed youth academy West Ham United have never seemed to bring any goalkeepers through the ranks, well that all may be about to change… Meet Sam Howes. Sam is a 17 year old shot stopper from West Sussex and his progress through the academy has been quite impressive. The former Crystal Palace youth goalkeeper joined the Hammers after a successful trial and has never looked back. Howes has an incredible knack for playing well ahead of his age group, for example breaking into West Ham’s U16 team at the age of 14, the U18 team at 15 and now is plying his trade for the U21’s having only turned 17 in October.

He’s no stranger to international duty either, representing England at U16, U17 and U18 level playing seven games collectively for the Young Lions prompting West Ham academy director Tony Carr to label Howes as “one for the future” and even tipping him to break into the first team sometime in the future, by reveal Howes “certainly has the potential to be a top goalkeeper”. High praise indeed from the man who has overseen the likes of Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand and Joe Cole all make the step up from youth football to playing on the hallowed turf of Upton Park. Sam may well have to wait until the club move into their new home at Stratford to get his chance, however.

Sam Howes won the 2013/14 Young Hammer of the Year award (Source: whufc.com)

Back on domestic shores in the Barclays U21 Premier League, Howes has had to battle Raphael Spiegel and Clarke Bogard for the number 1 shirt, but with Spiegel’s one month loan move to Conference leaders Barnet young Sam will be looking to grab a more regular starting spot with both hands. An encouraging sign will be that Howes has been invited to train with the senior squad on numerous occasions and even played a 14 minute cameo against Australian outfit Sydney FC, on West Ham’s ill fated tour of New Zealand, keeping a clean sheet in the process.

Finally, Sam has already helped to endear himself to the West Ham faithful by saving the all important final penalty in the shoot out to give West Ham a victory against bitter rivals Millwall in the Barclays U21 Premier League Cup. Okay, it might’ve been against their U21’s but they all count, eh? And who knows, the Olympic Stadium could soon be home to an academy graduate in the shape of a goalkeeper. They don’t come around too often…