--- source: thedugout.football generated: 2026-07-27T15:45:01.769Z last_updated: 2026-07-26T23:00:00+00:00 data_provider: API-Football canonical: https://thedugout.football/clubs/bournemouth/news/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYm91cm5lbW91dGhlY2hvLmNvLnVrL3Nwb3J0LzI2NDEwOTA1LmNoaWxkaG9vZC1hZmMtYm91cm5lbW91dGgtZmFuLWNoYXJsaWUtc3RldmVucy10aW1lLWZpcnN0LXRlYW0vP3JlZj1yc3M --- # Scott comparisons and "surreal" first team experiences - Childhood Cherry Stevens - **Source:** - **Published:** 26 Jul - **Club:** Bournemouth - **Original URL:** https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/26410905.childhood-afc-bournemouth-fan-charlie-stevens-time-first-team/?ref=rss CHILDHOOD Cherries fan Charlie Stevens played his first minutes for the first team against St Pauli and drew comparisons to Alex Scott for his impressive performance. At just 19, Stevens has had a fast rise through the club and was picked to travel and train with Marco Rose’s squad in the Alps as they prepare for a first Europa League campaign. Born in Poole, the midfielder has been a Bournemouth fan for as long as he can remember, going to games since he was three or four and being a part of the academy since he was seven. No fear for Cherries heading into historic season as Brooks aims to enjoy campaign Petrovic "so happy" when "older brother" Forster stayed as work begins with new coach WATCH - Brooks chats Cherries in Austria plus why he missed St Pauli friendly Evanilson can be "nine and a half" for Cherries - New boss Rose Jebbison wants to fight for place at Cherries in system under Rose he 'loves' He spoke to the Daily Echo at the club’s training base in Austria and said: "It's definitely surreal being in and around the first team. "Having been a fan myself, I've grown up and watched all these players play at the Vitality and on TV as well, so it's a big thing for me to be involved in the pre-season tour." Charlie Stevens (Image: NQ) He admitted his pride in featuring against the Bundesliga 2 side as Bournemouth cruised to a 4-1 win and said it was a big confidence boost for him to be included in the squad and to play a part in the game. "It’s great to see the trust that the new coaching staff have in us young players to step up in training and in the friendly the other day, and hopefully we can repay them and show our trust in them as we continue throughout the season," he said. "I think the main message I'd probably take from it is to bring our personality and our confidence that we'd maybe bring in the development squad and show that within the first team, as he [Marco Rose] has shown the trust in us and he knows how good we are and he's asked us to just show that here." His impressive 40-minute performance against St Pauli saw plenty of Cherries fans draw comparisons between him and fellow midfielder Scott, and not just for the hairstyle – and that’s a comparison Stevens is more than happy with. (Image: Robin Jones/AFC Bournemouth) "Any comparisons towards Scotty I definitely take as a massive compliment!" he said. "I think the headband probably helps with that as well, but even the way I play, I try to base areas of my game and take things from his game into my game. "So all the compliments are really nice." Asked to describe his game, Stevens explained: "I'd say I'm definitely a technical player looking to bring my quality on the ball to progress the ball up the pitch and even help create and score in the final third. "And then I also like to work hard, react, recover out of possession as always." He added: "I've been doing a lot of [number] six in the last couple weeks, but I like to also get forward and show my qualities in and around the box as a [number] eight, but I'm happy to do either." (Image: Robin Jones/AFC Bournemouth) Stevens’ ultimate aim is to play regularly for the first team, so any steps in his career, be that any potential loan moves, will be geared towards setting himself up to do that. He said he hasn’t decided if he wants to head on loan this term yet or not, or whether to stick with the development squad, after they were awarded Category One status. His time in Austria follows an exciting summer for Stevens, as he played for the Wales U19 team at a home Euros, with a Welsh dad and a half-Welsh mum. While they were beaten in all three of the games, he said it was a good experience to be a part of. "It was a really great experience and a proud experience for me to represent Wales at a home Euros," he said. He's progressed through our academy since joining as an under-eight 📈 He signed a new contract with #afcb last month ✍️ And now, he's going to the #U19EURO finals with Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Congratulations, Charlie Stevens 🍒 pic.twitter.com/PwP4G1LgUQ — AFC Bournemouth Academy (@afcb_academy) June 18, 2026 "Of course, the results did not go our way and at the time that’s what you think about. "But having had a bit of time to reflect on it now, it was a was a really positive experience, both as a team and personally. "It shows the top, top level you need to get to." It was a quick turnaround for the 19-year-old as he quickly came back to Dorset after the end of the tournament, and it’s an exciting time for Stevens as both a player and a fan, with the promise of Europa League football this season. "For a lot of the players, Europa League is a new challenge," he said. An emphatic finish 🙌 pic.twitter.com/OPZJH4zzWu — AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) July 25, 2026 "It's been nice that we've been integrated into the team from day one of pre-season, and hopefully we can continue to build on that as the season goes on." Stevens hopes to be at as many games as possible, whether that is as a part of the squad or sat in the stands. "I go to all the home games and try to go to the away ones when I can," he said. "So the Europa League ones will definitely be a few that I try to get to if I'm not in the squad!" Any experience of European football for him would be great, he said, and, taking a step back, Stevens reflected on how far the club had come in his lifetime, with his first memories of supporting the club coming from when they were in Leagues Two and One. "It's very surreal, to be fair, to think of where the club's come from," he said. "Even from an academy point of view when I first joined in under-7s to now being at the performance centre and being a Cat 1 academy, it's all very exciting and yeah, I do have to pinch myself sometimes." Whether Stevens opts for a loan or not, playing in the Premier League 2 will provide a stern test. "It’ll be a great experience for all of us to test ourselves against the next level of opposition, one that we've hoped for for a year or so now," he said. "There will be positives to either experience, whether I go on loan or whether I stay. "In staying, Cat One will be a great challenge, so I'm looking forward to it either way."