9 Interesting Facts About Adam Wharton From His Youth Days
- Think Football Ideas
- May 10
- 4 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
Full Name: Adam James Wharton
Date of Birth: 6 February 2004
Place of Birth: Blackburn, England
Position(s): Central midfielder
Current Club: Crystal Palace
Jersey Number: 20
While most kids were just trying to tie their laces without falling over, Adam Wharton was already reading the game like a seasoned pro. He wasn’t loud. Didn’t need to be. While others chased chaos, he moved in rhythms, unbothered, unhurried, unreadable.
There’s something about the way he plays that feels… inevitable. Not flashy, not desperate to be noticed, but every touch feels like it matters. Some players arrive in football with a bang. Adam Wharton? He just appeared, like he’d always been there.
Below Are 10 Interesting Facts About Adam Wharton From Childhood
1. Adam Wharton Supported Blackburn Rovers as A Young Child
Before the bright lights and broadcast deals, before Premier League debuts and England call-ups, Adam Wharton was just a local lad mad about his local team.
A boyhood Blackburn Rovers fan through and through, he grew up breathing Ewood Park air, with blue-and-white dreams stitched into the fabric of his weekends. That wasn’t just a passing phase either, it was the kind of footballing devotion that seeps into the bones early and stays there.
2. He was A Club Mascot for Blackburn in 2008
Imagine being four years old, your hand held by a Rovers player, walking out to a roaring crowd. That was Adam in 2008 in tiny boots, oversized kit, eyes wide with wonder, as he stood shoulder to shoulder with the heroes of his childhood.
“Guys like Roque Santa Cruz, Benni McCarthy, Chris Samba, Ryan Nelsen and Paul Robinson definitely made an impact on me,” he recalled in 2023 while speaking to Scouted. And really, how could they not? Those men brought Ewood Park to life and lit a fire in a young boy that never went out.
3. He was Privately Educated at Moorland School in Lancashire
While most kids were trying to balance schoolwork and Xbox, Adam was juggling algebra with academy drills. Privately educated at Moorland School, nestled in the Lancashire countryside, he benefited from a tailored curriculum that understood his rising football commitments.
It wasn’t your average secondary school experience. It was structure, discipline, and time carved out for potential. And in Adam’s case, that potential was already looking pretty serious.
4. He Joined the Blackburn Academy in 2010 at Age 6
By 2010, Adam had swapped the mascot uniform for an academy kit. Just six years old, and already walking into the Blackburn setup like it was his second home. From there, things moved quickly.
Fast forward to February 2022, and he’s putting pen to paper on his first pro deal, a two-and-a-half-year contract with a 2025 option. Then boom: on 10 August 2022, he’s making his senior debut in a 4–0 EFL Cup cruise past Hartlepool.
Weeks later, the league debut follows, off the bench against Stoke (27 August), then his full 90 against Blackpool just four days later, where he absolutely bossed it and walked away with Player of the Match. No easing in. Just straight to business.
5. His Younger Brother, Scott Wharton, is Also A Professional Footballer
Football clearly runs in the Wharton bloodline. Adam isn’t the only pro in the family; his older brother Scott was already flying the Blackburn flag as a dependable defender by the time Adam broke through.
The pair didn’t just share a last name; they shared a pathway, a discipline, and probably a fair few back-garden duels growing up. There’s something special about seeing two brothers rise together at the same club. It’s not just legacy, it’s loyalty in motion.
6. He was Blackburn's Young Player of the Year 2022–23
By the end of the 2022–23 season, Adam had moved from promising academy graduate to outright starlet. His performances in midfield, composed, intelligent, with an edge of quiet authority, didn’t go unnoticed.
The club crowned him Young Player of the Year, and rightly so. It wasn’t hype. It was earned. Week after week, he played with a level of maturity that belied his age.
7. Crystal Palace Came Calling Following His Success at Blackburn
By early 2024, the whispers turned to offers. Crystal Palace came calling, and didn’t come cheap. The Eagles landed him on 1 February 2024, for a fee reportedly starting at £18 million, with add-ons potentially taking it to £22 million.
Talk about a statement signing. He made his debut just two days later, coming off the bench in a bruising 4–1 derby defeat to Brighton, but from there, it was straight into the thick of it. Wharton started all 15 of Palace’s remaining Premier League games, slotting into midfield like he’d been there for years. No fear. Just class.
8. He Represents England Internationally
From Blackburn to the big stage, Wharton’s rise wasn’t just domestic. The call-ups kept coming: first for England’s Under-19s, then the U20s, then the Under-21s, and finally, the senior squad.
In June 2024, he earned his full international debut for the Three Lions in a 3–0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. A whirlwind few years, capped with that lion on his chest. And with that kind of composure and game IQ, don’t bet against him becoming a mainstay for years to come.
9. As a Kid, He Admired Barcelona's Style of Play, with Messi and Busquets Inspiring Him
Like a lot of ‘00s kids, Adam’s screen time wasn’t all cartoons; Barcelona got their fair share too. Not just Lionel Messi's magic, but the rhythmic genius of Sergio Busquets. The quiet puppeteer.
The man who made football look like physics. That DNA? You can see strands of it in Wharton’s game. The positional intelligence, the weight of pass, the calmness under pressure, it’s not a carbon copy, but the influence is clear. He watched the best and internalised it, and now he’s bringing a bit of La Masia calm to English chaos.
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