Winger once tipped for Arsenal transfer ahead of Theo Walcott now stars on Gogglebox

Tristan Plummer may now be a star on Channel 4's Googlebox - but once upon a time he was tipped with a move to Arsenal.

In 2006, Plummer was just a teenager on the books at Bristol City in the club's youth team ranks. He had become a star there, and appeared set for a first team breakthrough.

The winger's form attracted the attentions from scouts of top Premier League clubs, most notably Chelsea, Everton and Arsenal.

However, a move to the Gunners did not materialise.

Indeed, Bristol City chairman Steve Lansdown ruled out a transfer months before Theo Walcott joined Arsenal from Southampton and went to the World Cup in Germany.

Speaking in 2022 to Bristol Live, Plummer lifted the lid on the interest from top flight sides in his services as he turned heads for Bristol City's youth teams.

He explained how a move did not come to pass due to a high price tag quelling interest in his services.

Plummer explained: "I made my Under-18s debut at the age of 14 or 15 against Aston Villa.

"I remember that because we would always lose to them and I was thinking 'Jeez, I'm playing against men, here.'

"A couple of weeks later I made my FA Youth Cup debut.

"After they didn't make me go out straight after the game because there were a few Chelsea scouts watching the game.

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"I ended up doing well in that game and the scouts started coming along and a few England scouts were there too."

He added: "I remember being in my house and someone was running across with a newspaper and they were like, 'You're in the newspaper!'

"'Plummer wanted by Arsenal' - I was like, 'Wow'.

"The club said Arsenal were talking about you but City shut that down straight away.

"The selling price was ridiculous saying they wanted one or two million for me at the age of 17 but all they only would have had to pay was the compensation because I hadn't signed the contract.

"That scared me a bit because I thought if I see out my scholarship and then I can't get it agreed, then I don't have a club.

"That was my ambition to play for Bristol City and I always wanted to like come out at Ashton Gate and be in front of the fans and have my family come out and watch me because I'm a Bristol boy.

"I was always homesick when I went away with football so I always wanted to be a legend in the city as every kid wanted.

"I loved playing for Bristol City and just wanted to do my best so it does kind of upset me in a way.

"Obviously, things happen for a reason that I didn't fulfil my potential but it happens. I don't cry over spilled milk."

Ultimately, Plummer did not play for the Robins' first team and instead moved to down the football pyramid to non-league.

He has now found stardom on TV as he appears on Channel 4's Googlebox, along with his brothers Tremaine and Twaine, and insists he does not regret how things have panned out for him.

He said: "I don't regret it because I have two beautiful kids now. Maybe if I moved away, I wouldn't have had them and now I'm doing other things that I enjoy doing.

"Maybe I could have been in a better position financially but at the end of the day my happiness is more important, I'm happy and I came to terms with that ages ago."

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