John Bostock is a former wonderkid who had the footballing world at his feet, making his debut for boyhood club Crystal Palace at the age of just 15.
The London-born midfielder joined Palace at just 5 years old and became their youngest-ever player when he replaced Ben Watson in the FA Cup against Watford in 2007 and would go on to make 4 Championship appearances for the club.
His career would involve controversy, multiple clubs, a European resurgence, tragic accidents and a return to England to help a famous name back to the Football League.
Rejecting Barcelona
Bostock was described as technically gifted, athletic and with a wand of a left foot, was seen as a once-in-a-generation talent and was soon attracting interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs. The Londoner claimed that the queue for his signature included the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United and Liverpool.
Bostock recalls how he was offered a massive ten-year contract by Barcelona, with the Catalan powerhouses attempting to entice him by sending a signed Ronaldinho poster. The interest came to nothing and he would go on to those appearances for Palace before he had completed his GCSEs!
Transfer Controversy
Following his debut and subsequent appearances in the Palace first team, Bostock was even hotter property and it would eventually be Tottenham who would win the race for his signature.
The move to White Hart Lane was not without controversy and it would lead to his family being threatened with their season tickets being cancelled by then Palace chairman Simon Jordan.
Jordan would voice his displeasure at those who surrounded the young Bostock and the transfer fee that his club would receive through a tribunal. He believed that it was Bostock’s stepfather, Mick Brown, who was the instigator of moving the teenager away from Selhurst Park and branded him a ‘liar’ who was only interested in money.
“He [Brown] looked me in the eye on three occasions and categorically assured me that the boy wanted to stay at Palace. Then he tells me that a member of our coaching staff, some mythical Keyser Söze figure [a character from the film The Usual Suspects], told him that John was not Neil Warnock’s type of player and that he had no future at the club,” continued Jordan. “That is a blatant lie. The man is a bare-faced liar. It’s all about money, which is pitiful when it reaches the level of a 16-year-old. If John had wanted to join Tottenham then fair enough, just say so. Why did we have to go through the whole charade of his stepfather’s litany of lies?”
Bostock’s move from Palace reportedly costs Spurs an initial £700 000 with add-ons that it is unlikely his performances at Tottenham triggered as he would only make 3 UEFA Cup appearances for the club all in 2008, and in the process had the distinction of becoming the youngest player to appear for a second club.
During his 5 years with Spurs, he would gain experience out on loan at clubs such as Brentford, Hull City, Sheffield Wednesday, Swindon Town and Toronto FC before being released in 2013.
European Tour
After his release, Bostock, still only 21, would embark on something of a nomadic existence around Europe and would spend time in Belgium, France and Turkey. His first stop was Royal Antwerp in the Belgian Second Division before moving to the newly relegated OH Leuven who he would help gain promotion back to the top division and scoop the Belgian Second Division Player of the Season in the process.
https://twitter.com/OHLeuven/status/750243141987536896
His next move was in the summer of 2016 when he joined RC Lens of the Ligue 2 in France. Bostock would transfer the fine form shown in Belgium to France and would be awarded the Ligue 2 Player of the Season award at the end of his first campaign.
He would then head off to Turkey and Bursaspor in the Super Lig. His time at the Metropolitan Stadium was not a great success and he would be back in France with Toulouse and his former RC Lens manager Alain Casanova. During his two-year stay, he would spend time on loan back in England with Nottingham Forest.
Cheating Death
During his time with Bursaspor, Bostock was involved in an accident with a drunk driver that resulted in the death of their passenger and for the then 26-year-old former Palace man to view life differently. “Scientifically, I probably shouldn’t have survived that crash. Two cars hitting each other head-on at 70mph, it made me appreciate life, appreciate family and appreciate the gift that we have to live every day,” Bostock said.
“It was a big wake-up call, something that there isn’t a plan to get over. You just have to focus on the future and take every day as it comes, appreciate life for what it is. I am grateful that I went through it because you see life in a different way when you’re that close to death.”
Back To Britain
His next destination was Doncaster Rovers in League One, signing on for the remainder of 2020-21 and the 2021-22 season. His time at Rovers would come to an end following relegation from League One and his refusal to sign a contract extension.
Notts County
Bostock would drop out of the Football League and join National League promotion chasers Notts County in December 2022, going on to make 23 appearances and score once in the league as County went head-to-head with eventual champion Wrexham.
The Magpies made it through to the National League Playoff Final where they went up against Chesterfield in a pulsating clash that would see the men from Nottingham prevail. Bostock played a pivotal role in the match, bagging an 87th-minute equaliser to rescue his side before relying on his young goalkeeper Archie Mair to spare his blushes after missing his Panenka penalty when he could have sent his side into League Two.
He did manage to see the funny side after the match, saying, “I thought it was crossbar challenge. “I thought that was it, if I scored that we’d have been celebrating, but Cedwyn Scott missed a penalty against Wrexham and he took us up today, so I’m relieved.”
https://twitter.com/Official_NCFC/status/1657420356943060992
Writer’s View
It may not have included Barcelona or one of the European giants that were reportedly chasing the teenage Bostock, but his career would be one that many growing up dreaming of being a footballer would happily have settled for.
There was a lot of hype around the 15-year-old and he looked destined to leave Crystal Palace, despite them being his boyhood club. As such a young man, Bostock needed to have a support network around to help with the huge decisions he was faced with. Some individuals involved did not believe he was given this support and, as a result, made some choices that would, in hindsight, prove to be the wrong ones. Bostock himself has said that it’s not necessarily the rejection of Barcelona but leaving Crystal Palace that was the wrong decision.
There is a talented player in there, and the question as to why he never fulfilled the potential is one that he will probably be able to answer best. He had a mini resurgence during the 5 years he spent at Royal Antwerp, OH Leuven and RC Lens where he contributed goals and assists, earned a promotion and won some individual awards but, with 15 clubs, his career is one of a journeyman.
Whether Bostock will wish he had stayed at Selhurst Park or remained at Lens rather than head to Turkey or that his time at Busaspor had lasted longer than it did we don’t know but, at only 31, he still has an opportunity to make his mark on the Football League as Notts County look to impress on their return.
