Walcott was just 16 years and 143 days old when he came on as a substitute in Southampton's 0-0 draw at home to Wolves.

He broke the previous record held by Danny Wallace who was 16 and 314 days when he made his first senior appearance back in 1980.

After the match Walcott said: "It was a brilliant feeling to make my debut and to hear the crowd chanting my name. It made me play much better.

"I did not know whether I would get on and when it happened I did not even have time to think about it.

"I was so eager to get on that I forgot to put my shirt on and when the manager called me I thought he wanted to give me some instructions!

"But it was a fantastic moment," he told saintsfc.co.uk. "I did not think about the record, I just concentrated on doing the things which have got me this far.

"It is only a month since I signed up as a first-year scholar and I said then that I hoped I might get a chance in the first-team but I never dreamed it would come so quickly."

Playing a year above his age group, Walcott appeared 11 times for the England U17s last season and is included in the U17s squad to play in the Pepsi Tournament later this month.

He continued: "The crowd gave me a real lift. I did not expect the ground to be so full but it was a real buzz to hear them cheering me. I have dreamed of this moment and now I have to try and build on it."

Southampton manager Harry Redknapp believes Walcott has a promising future in the game but urged supporters to not get too carried away.

He said: "He did excellently. He is only a kid so there might be days when games pass him by and he will have to learn that.

"We have to use him in the right way but he is a terrific talent and he has a great chance of being a big, big player.

"He is exciting and made a couple of great runs. He is a real promising kid. We don't have a dozen like that but he is one with a big future and we will just use him at the right times."

Theo Walcott - Fact File and Video Vault

England U17s: 11 caps, 5 goals
England U16s: 4 caps,

26 March 2005  
Goal v. Serbia & Montenegro

30 March 2005  
Goal v. Republic of Ireland