Stoke City veteran eager to revive career after joining new club seven years post-World Cup triumph.

Stoke City believed they had found a gem when they signed Tashan Oakley-Boothe from Tottenham Hotspur’s youth ranks.

Tashan Oakley-Boothe is eager to restart his career after securing a deal with Dunfermline until the end of the season.

The 25-year-old midfielder was part of the England squad that won the under-17 World Cup in 2017, having come through the youth ranks at Tottenham Hotspur. However, his journey to senior football faltered after joining Stoke City in January 2020. Despite making seven league and cup starts, along with 14 substitute appearances over the next couple of years, his progress was hindered by a stress fracture in his lower back.

After stints at Lincoln City and Blackpool, Oakley-Boothe moved to Portugal for a three-and-a-half-year contract with Estrela, but his time there was cut short. Now, he finds himself in the Scottish Championship, where he made his debut for Dunfermline in a draw against Livingston over the weekend. He’s hopeful that under new manager Michael Tidser, he can regain his form, help the team climb away from the relegation zone, and start realizing his potential.

“The World Cup’s still an experience I hold close to my chest, but it’s seven years ago and I’m just looking forward to now, really,” he shared with the Scottish Sun. “I’ve been at a couple of clubs over the last few years, and I was in Portugal for a little bit. It was a different experience, very tough in terms of the language barrier. But it’s still another experience for me to learn from. I didn’t play as much as I would have liked, but that can happen. Portugal is maybe a bit more technical, but that’s not to fault the game here. It’s still good football. I’d say it’s nothing I haven’t experienced playing in League One or the Championship, it’s pretty similar.”

Oakley-Boothe also spoke positively about his new club: “It’s a good bunch of boys here, and a good environment. The club has a lot of history. Going into a club, one of the main things is how the manager would want to play, and how it would suit you as a player. I’ve heard a bit about the project and how he would like to play, and yeah, it does suit me. The fan base also looks amazing. As a player, you want that for the club and yourself when you’re playing because the supporters give you that extra push. I’m a ball-carrying central midfield player, I like to try to make things happen on the ball with energy and creativity.”