Academy manager for football, Jon Hunter-Barrett, has given an insight into Nathan Fraser’s footballing journey, after the striker made his Premier League debut for Wolves on Thursday evening.
Aged just 18, Fraser came on as an 82nd minute substitute against Manchester United and became the latest academy graduate to appear in the competition for the Old Gold.
After scoring on his Carabao Cup and Emirates FA Cup debut, Gary O’Neil rewarded the attacker with his senior league bow at Molineux, where he played the final nine minutes of action.
A local talent, Fraser has been with the club since the age of eight after being scouted by the local recruitment team while playing for Trysull Tigers. It was from there that his journey at Wolves began, as Hunter-Barrett explains.
“Nathan joined through our local recruitment department in our pre-academy at the age of eight, signing his first schoolboy contract and he’s been with us ever since.
“He was recommended by one of our former scouts, Dave Maydew, to come into the pre-academy programme.
“As a player, he was really energetic and had a natural work ethic and drive to cover ground across the pitch. He had a natural passion for scoring and you could see that from an early age.
An eight year-old Nathan Fraser signs for @WolvesAcademy.
— Wolves (@Wolves) January 16, 2024
Ten years later, he's scoring at Molineux.
🐺 pic.twitter.com/YVEpoyIQM6
“Nathan joined Thomas Telford School and had access to the full-time programme at under-12s which enabled us to get the additional contact time and work into him.
“It’s never been linear for Nathan, he has had a lot of ups and downs across the way. He really started to find his feet at 15s and 16s.”
And although Fraser was rewarded with a scholarship after leaving school, success wasn’t immediate and it was a combination of hard work, making the right decisions and support from coaches within the academy that kick-started a progression through the professional development phase in the more recent years.
“He actually started his scholarship playing his first block in the under-16s again because we felt that was the right thing for his programme,” Hunter-Barrett continued.
“Nathan really found his form and feet, his confidence and repetition. Wes Hughes, Ian Sharps and Darius Vassell spent a lot of time with him at under-16s, along with Darren Ryan and Rhys Carr in the professional development phase with the age group coaches in Steve Davis, James McPike and James Collins. They really tried to get as much as they could out of him.
“He got promoted to the under-21s in the second year of his scholarship after having a really good Youth Cup run and ever since then, it was about getting the opportunities to go down and train and show people what he could do.
“He had some time away with the first-team and then bit by bit, Nathan has gone on to gain trust from the people that have been around him to now making his Premier League debut. He has been given opportunities and Gary has shown faith in him, so we can only thank him for that.
“I’m really proud of what he’s been able to go on and achieve so far. It’s just the start now of the next phase of his journey.”
Hunter-Barrett has highlighted a number of key qualities in Fraser’s armour that have helped to propel him and ensure he is different from the rest, explaining that self-drive has enabled him to improve with the support from others.
“He’s always been consistent with his behaviours, which is the big thing I’d say about Nathan. He’s always been consistent, always been driven, always been open to learn. People are much more willing to work with you and try and improve you.
“Nathan got used to playing in front of fans and understanding what it means playing for Wolves being a local boy.
“Those are the core skills that he has and the rest, you can always build and improve. The academy can do a lot for you to provide that platform and opportunity to develop but, ultimately, you have to want to do it yourself.
“Nathan’s got that self-drive and determination to improve and understand that if he does the same as everybody else, then he’ll be in the same position.
“That’s why Nathan does more than everyone else and it’s why he’s made his Premier League debut at 18.”
A @premierleague debut last night for Nathan Fraser.
— Wolves (@Wolves) February 2, 2024
🎓👏 pic.twitter.com/knh4gfGqK3
After coaching the striker at under-9s level, Hunter-Barrett admits that this latest Premier League debut has an extra special feeling to it, and he says it is no surprise to see Fraser not look out of place in the biggest league in the world.
“This is where Nathan wants to be. He’s desperate to improve and show everyone what he can do.
“I don’t think these things faze him and I think he relishes the opportunity that he’s been given. Now it’s down to him to go and get more.
“I was one of the coaches, along with Daniel Watson, who took him at under-9s and then again at under-12s, along with some of the other long-standing staff that have been fortunate to see him from when he first walked through the door.
“They’ve seen the progression and that inspires everyone because it’s what you come to work for.
“You come to work for the common goal – to support boys to get into our first-team and others, but then also to become successful in their own individual ways. This is Nathan’s individual way because it’s his journey.”
