A biography for Ollie Watkinshasn’t been written yet.
“I definitely feel like on the pitch I've got a leadership role.”
“Non-league helped me to develop a lot. There were older players, perhaps not as fit or as quick as me but able to use ways to stop me with the odd niggle here and there. Or they'd just foul me if I went past them. It was completely different to reserve-team football.”
“The tap-ins are the hardest ones to get, so I'm glad that I've got quite a few of them. If it goes in off my shoulder or knee, I don't mind.”
“I've tried to ease off putting the pressure on myself and I just try to go out and enjoy it and get into that mindset of not being too high or too low.”
“When I was at Brentford I was the only striker really for the whole season.”
“Going to Weston opened my eyes. There was a lot of physical contact. I was used to youth-team games and reserve-team games.”
“I look at clips of defenders, if they are aggressive or not, what they are good at, what they are bad at, and try to use that to my advantage.”
“I got into the Exeter academy at under-11s - I came for my first trial when I was nine and didn't get in. If it came when I was 16 I'd have been very disappointed, but luckily I had that time to improve and become a better player.”
“Before I wanted to always try to get involved and touch the ball. That was my natural instinct to be involved in the game at all times.”
“I've come up through Exeter, I've been given a chance like some other young players and I'm very grateful of that.”
“Everyone wants to succeed and do well and win.”
“Even if I have had a bad game and come off with two goals, sometimes I am happy because I have still scored.”
“Here at Villa, you have got everything you need. The training ground is unbelievable. You have got everything you need to push you in the right direction.”
“That's the dream to play for Arsenal one day. But it's a long shot.”
“I took my chance played well and ended up moving to Brentford and it went up from there.”
“The gaffer was a huge part in bringing me to Villa.”
“Who wouldn't be inspired at the end of the day? I have come from a League Two team and been out on loan in the Conference South to playing in the Premier League within five years. It's something people should aspire to.”
“I had some tough times along the way but also some great ones.”
“As a striker I want to score, no matter what.”
“I feel like physically I've definitely developed a lot in the gym but mentally is the big part that has changed in my game. It is just about trying to keep a level head.”