Saturday 13 August 2022 11:46 PM Eton's Basil Tuma, 17, makes debut for Championship club Reading after securing ... trends now
Eton College has produced 20 Prime Ministers in its 582-year history, from William Pitt the Elder to William Gladstone, Harold Macmillan and Boris Johnson.
Pupils at the elite school – whose old boys also include princes William and Harry – frequently target a career in law or finance, if not politics.
But its deputy head boy, Basil Tuma, is boldly going where few Etonians have succeeded before – into the world of professional football.
The 17-year-old forward was selected by former England star Paul Ince to play for EFL Championship club Reading on Tuesday.
With youth on his side, and exceptional pace, it is quite likely to be just the start of a long career in a game rarely associated with the studious atmosphere of Eton.
‘He’s frighteningly quick. Over the first ten metres, his acceleration is phenomenal,’ said coach Jono Santry, after seeing Tuma play earlier this year for the England Independent Schools under-18s team that he trains.
Deputy head boy, Basil Tuma, is boldly going where few Etonians have succeeded before – into the world of professional football
‘He likes the ball at his feet too, and when he scored a header we all thought, flipping heck, he can head the ball as well!’ Santry added.
Tuma did not score on his debut for Reading in their EFL cup-tie at the Madejski Stadium. But he could certainly be pleased with his performance said club manager Ince, who selected several youngsters for the game, which was 1-1 until visitors Stevenage scored a late winner.
‘It was a good experience for the boys who played, I am proud of them,’ said Ince. ‘They’ve had a great experience of what proper football is like.’
The youngster made an impression on Reading supporters, too.
