Bristol City have had their fair share of talent in recent years, with the club boasting one of the best academies in the South of England.
Their development of young starlets has been really impressive, with the likes of Alex Scott, Joe Bryan, and Bobby Reid all going through the Robins' academy at one stage.
However, the standout player in the past decade has to be Antoine Semenyo. The Ghanian forward proved himself at Ashton Gate but has possibly surpassed all expectations since his move to AFC Bournemouth, where he is now regarded as one of the Cherries' best players.
The red and white side of Bristol will be delighted to see how he has fared in Dorset, but without a pivotal decision by Crystal Palace in 2015, the attacker’s path might have unfolded very differently.
Crystal Palace rejection spurred Antoine Semenyo on
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Born in Chelsea, Semenyo spent much of his early years trying to source a spot in a major academy, with trials at various clubs like Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Millwall, and Fulham. Unfortunately, he was dealt rejections from all four clubs, but it seemed that he may find an opportunity in Croydon with Palace, where he spent an eight-month period.
This short-term spell proved inconsequential as the Eagles released him in 2015, deeming him not good enough to have a future at Premier League level.
Speaking to BBC's Football Focus, the Ghanian admitted it broke him: "I was there for maybe eight months and loved every moment.
"My dad told me he'd seen one moment during a game where I should have passed the ball to someone, and I shot and missed. And he saw the coach in the distance just shaking his head.
"From that moment, he knew I wasn't getting signed. I got called into the office and they told me the bad news.
"I remember going back into the car, just being emotional, crying."
This devastation was turned into motivation and he was afforded his opportunity to play professional football in 2017 when Bristol City picked him up from South Gloucestershire and Stroud College's football academy.
From that moment, he hasn’t looked back, making the most of the opportunity the Robins gave him to showcase his potential.
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Bristol City Antoine Semenyo
After signing his first professional contract, Semenyo followed the well-established path taken by many young Bristol City players, joining local neighbours Bath City on loan.
This initial taste of men’s football proved invaluable, and further loan spells at League Two side Newport County and League One club Sunderland provided him with crucial experience to take back to Ashton Gate.
In 2020-21, he became a regular first-team member under Dean Holden and then Nigel Pearson, as he made 44 appearances for the Robins in his full debut season.
However, it was the following year that Semenyo hit the spotlight, excelling in a relatively free-scoring Bristol City side that netted 62 goals over the campaign. The Ghanian contributed eight of those himself and provided 12 assists, forming a partnership with Chris Martin and Andreas Weimann in attack.
This caught the eye of many higher up the English pyramid, and having continued his strong form in 22-23, January would prove to be his final month at BS3.
Antoine Semenyo's Bristol City career
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Bournemouth would snap him up for a fee of £10.5 million, but that came amid late interest from Palace, who were desperate to make up for their previous mistake.
His subsequent decision to turn down the Eagles must have brought a sense of vindication, as his impressive performances at the Vitality Stadium have not only silenced any doubts but also earned him a staggering £50 million price tag.