20 years ago today, Dean Bowditch made history in becoming the youngest player to score a hat-trick for Ipswich Town in a 4-1 win over Watford at Portman Road.
The fresh-faced 17-year-old had already made an impact a year earlier when he inspired a 2-0 victory over Norwich City at Carrow Road, making his Blues debut as a 16-year-old.
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Fast forward a year later, he was handed his first home start by manager Joe Royle, and ended up making headlines once again in a televised Championship game against the Hornets.
He opened the scoring in the fifth minute when Watford keeper Lenny Pidgeley gifted him a goal as he attempted to clear a Sean Dyche backpass - only for the ball to bobble off his standing foot, leaving Bowditch with a simple finish. A throwback to the Bryan Gunn style air-kick from the 90s.
In the 24th minute, he notched his second after Darren Bent, who had scored his first professional hat-trick in a 3-1 win at Walsall in the previous game, picked him out with a pinpoint cross. Bowditch coolly chested the ball down under pressure and slipped it past the on-rushing Pidgeley into the corner of the net.
Just after the hour-mark, his hat-trick was complete as he took advantage of hesitation in the visitors' defence, allowing him to nip in behind to beat Pidgeley to the ball and slot home.
He would celebrate by grabbing the match ball and holding it above his head as he became the youngest Town player to score a treble - a record which still stands today.
The record was close to being beaten when Connor Wickham netted three goals against Doncaster in February 2011, but he was a month and 10 days older than Bowditch.
This moment made the country stand up and take notice of his potential, but he couldn't deliver on the hype as he scored nine goals in 82 games for Ipswich.
Bowditch left Portman Road in 2009 and still had an excellent career lower down the pyramid, most notably at MK Dons, who he helped win promotion to the Championship.
He finished his playing career at Suffolk non-league side Stowmarket Town in 2019 and is now the licensing marketing manager at the Marshall Group.
Ipswich Town players to score a hat-trick under the age of 21
Dean Bowditch vs Watford - 17 years, 9 months, 5 days
Connor Wickham vs Doncaster - 17 years, 10 months, 15 days
Colin Viljoen vs Portsmouth (debut) - 18 years, 9 months, 6 days
David Gregory vs Watford - 19 years, 9 months, 30 days
Dalian Atkinson vs Middlesbrough - 20 years, 1 month, 3 days
Darren Bent vs Walsall - 20 years, 1 month, 11 days
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