It was a beautiful coincidence on July 10, 2024, for Ollie Watkins, who did not only shoulder the dreams of England Euro 2024 title hopes but that of his mum, Delsi-may Watkins.
From cutting a frustrated figure on the bench to scoring a last-minute winner against Netherland, Watkins turned his Euro 2024 campaign to a memorable one.
The Aston Villa forward did not only live the dream of coming out a national hero for England in the continental showpiece but that of his family.
Watkins went into Euro 2024 campaign down the pecking order in Gareth Southgate’s attacking options and was struggling for game time.
He was only used for 20 minutes during the Three Lions group-stage clash against Denmark. And of course, his mother, Delsi-may, who has been the fulcrum of his football career, was apparently frustrated as well.
The Devon-based mother of five was eager to see his son, Ollie Watkins, in action for the Three Lions.
Before the semi-final cracker against the Netherlands, she was seen in a now-viral footage, ranting, asking Gareth Southgate to give his son a chance to play.
In the footage which we have shared below, Delsi-may, addressing fellow England fans, said;
“On Wednesday that they finally let my son on the f—ing pitch!”
From the footage, Delsi-may showed intense desire and passion to have his son play and luckily for her, the wish came true.
England were tied with the Netherlands on a 1-1 draw with the regulation time crossed. PSG sensation Xavi Simons had wrestled the ball from Declan Rice to score a stunner of a goal from 25 yards out.
18 minutes later, Kane converted a controversial spot-kick to hand the Three Lions the equaliser. Proceedings was set to be dragged into extra time when Gareth Southgate made his usual bold substitutions, bringing off frontman, Harry Kane, and Manchester City sensation, Phil Foden, for Ollie Watkins and Cole Palmer.
In the 90+1st minute, Palmer provided a crucial assist that saw Watkins score the decisive goal to carry England into their second consecutive Euro final.
While Watkins stole the spotlight and made his country proud with the decisive goal, it was also another fulfilling moment for his family, especially his passionate mum, Delsi-may.
Ollie Watkins family
Delsi-may Watkins is Ollie Watkins’ mother. She is a popular figure in the entertainment space in the UK. The mother of the Aston Villa forward is a music performer with her band name, The Superstitions. She is popularly known by her stage name – Ruby Washington.
According to reports, Delsi-may has been performing back in the 1980s on various entertainment shows. She was married to Watkins’ father, Steven, and they had five children altogether – Dale, Richie, and Jordan (all male) and a female – Charlotte, including Watkins.
Not much is known about Steven but reports say the couple divorced when Ollie Watkins was still a child. Delsi-may admitted to playing a big role in Watkins’ career from when he was just nine months old, learning how to kick the ball, to the time he joined Exeter Academy at the age of nine after spell with Buckland Athletic and Newton Town FC Academy.
”He was very good with the ball at nine months and used to destroy our little garden with spot-on kicks,” Delsi-may told The Times.
“The big moment came when he joined Aston Villa and then earn his call-up to the national team,” she added.
Ollie Watkins career
Watkins plays for Aston Villa in the Premier League. He joined the club in 2020 from Brentford. Leading the attack for the Villains, he has scored 49 goals in 146 Premier League appearances and is regarded as one of the best forwards in the English top flight.
He made his England debut in 2021 and has won 21 caps, scoring 4 goals.
Ollie Watkins contract and salary
In 2023, Ollie Watkins pen a long-term contract with Aston Villa, commiting his future to the club on a five-year deal. According to Capology.com, Ollie Watkins annual gross earnings at Aston Villa is £6,760,000 while his weekly paycheck is £130,000.
For all you need to know about Ollie Watkins, check our featured piece on the footballer HERE.
