From Arsenal’s “Too Small” to Redemption Fight: Jaidon Anthony Untold

Jaidon Anthony’s story is one of perseverance and resilience, even amidst the heartache of losing his beloved mother, Donna. He began his football journey at Arsenal, playing alongside talents like Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka. Despite his bright potential, Arsenal let him go at 16, dismissing him for being “too small.” Six years later, Jaidon fought his way back to the Premier League, determined to prove himself, and perhaps even face the club that once broke his heart.

We’re excited to share the story of a footballer who, as a child, became best friends with Brooklyn Beckham—the son of the legendary David Beckham and a former Arsenal player. In those early days, Jaidon Anthony would even lend Brooklyn his shin pads! We’ll also dive into the life of Jaidon, a player known for his super-cool lifestyle.

Our article invites you to explore the captivating story of Jaidon Anthony, rooted deeply in his family’s love and support. Raised by his late mother, Donna, and his father, Garry Grant, alongside his brother, Kyneil Grant, Jaidon’s early years were shaped by ambition, cultural heritage, and strong familial bonds.

This biography offers more than just facts; it provides a glimpse into Jaidon’s world. Dive into his journey, lifestyle, and cherished values. From his family background to the details of his personal and financial life, discover the story of a winger who has gracefully navigated the highs and lows of professional football.

Preamble:

We kick off Jaidon Anthony’s biography by highlighting key moments from his childhood and early life. We delve into the crucial role his parents played in laying the foundation for his career, celebrate his early football successes, and recount the story of his rejection by Arsenal. Finally, we reveal how Jaidon, determined to rise again after being let go by Arsenal, took a step down to non-league football as a strategic move to eventually make his way back to the Premier League.

This write-up aims to satisfy your appetite for autobiographies as you dive into Jaidon Anthony’s story. To kick things off, we’ll present a gallery showcasing his boyhood and rise in football. Witness how this rising soccer superstar has journeyed through an incredible career path, making strides every step of the way.

Yes, if you look at him now, you might even argue that he appears taller than Saka and Smith Rowe. So, how could size have been a problem for Arsenal? After all, size didn’t hinder Lionel Messi, who also faced growth challenges. The AFC Bournemouth winger has moved beyond the setbacks of his past and is now showcasing his versatility.

There’s a noticeable gap in knowledge about this winger. Few football fans have explored a detailed account of Jaidon Anthony’s biography, which is truly fascinating. So, without further ado, let’s dive into the story of Jaidon’s early life.

Jaidon Anthony Childhood Story:

For Biography starters, he bears the nickname “Jay”. Jaidon Anthony was born on the 1st day of December 1999 to his late Mother, Donna and his Father, Garry Grant. The Cherries Winger was born in the London Borough of Hackney, Inner London.

Jaidon Anthony arrived in the world as the second child and son (among two boys) born to the union between his Dad and Mum. Now, let us introduce you to Jaidon Anthony’s parents.

Donna and Garry (as seen below) are a sweet couple. The proud parents never gave their son (Jaidon) the riches of the world. They gave him the freedom to follow his dreams.

Growing-Up Years:

Yes, Jaidon Anthony holds the unofficial title “Baby of the House.” As you probably know, he is the last born in his family. Kyneil Grant is Jaidon Anthony’s brother – who is the first son and child of the Grant family.

From day one, Kyneil has been a supportive brother who always teaches Jaidon about life values. Judging by this photo, it is clear that both siblings (Kyneil and Jaidon) had some memorable childhood years.

Jaidon Anthony’s Early Life:

It is easy to understand why the Winger has been an Arsenal fan since childhood. Jaidon Anthony’s parents raised him in Hackney, which is just a 25-minute drive to Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal were immense at the time (in the Early to mid-2000s), and Jaidon began loving this great club through his mum, Donna.

As a little boy, Jaidon Anthony was very obsessed with Thierry Henry. He was enraptured by their all-conquering Arsenal Invincibles.

Put simply, the boy grew up at a time when the Arsenal’s Legend (Thierry Henry) was at the peak of his powers.

During those early years, young Jaidon was among the lucky kids who met many Arsenal Legends with no struggle.

Aside from Thierry, he enjoyed the company of Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Vieira, Freddie Ljungberg, Ashley Cole, etc. Do you know why?… It is simply because he (at age six) was already in Arsenal’s academy.

Jaidon Anthony Family Background:

The Hackney native wasn’t born to rich parents like that of Patrick Bamford. Donna and Garry Grant weren’t rich.

They (who are Arsenal fans) operated a middle-class family setting in the London Borough of Hackney.

Owing to their love for the great London club, it was (back in the days) a common thing for Jaidon Anthony Family members to wear red top clothing during outings, as seen above. Lastly, Grant is Jaidon’s family surname, borne mostly by his Dad (Garry) and Brother (Kyneil).

Jaidon Anthony Family Origin:

First things first, the Winger identifies himself as a British citizen. Although the footballer has British nationality, we trace his family roots to Africa.

Our research has it that Jaidon Anthony’s parents (Donna and Garry Grant) have Jamaican family origins with African ancestry. Hackney, which is his English place of origin, is a district in East London – as shown in this map gallery.

As revealed by talkSport, where Jaidon Anthony comes from is home to the Hackney Marshes. This is an expansive and iconic hub for grassroots sports.

Did you know?… The Legendary John Terry and the iconic David Beckham spent their youth there. It doesn’t end there… Even the almighty Lionel Messi once wanted to have his football training on this sweet Hackney Marshes.

This advert, as shown below, was filmed on Hackney Marshes. It features the Legendary Eric Cantona, Robbie Fowler, Ian Wright, and David Seamen.

Jaidon Anthony Ethnicity:

As stated earlier, the AFC Bournemouth winger is a British citizen with African-Caribbean ancestry.

From a more specific point of view, Jaidon Anthony also identifies with the British African-Caribbean people Ethnic group.

Lastly, from a general viewpoint, Jaidon is part of the Black British people’s Ethnic group.

Jaidon Anthony Education and Career Buildup:

Primary school for the youngster began at the age of five. And at six, Jaidon had kick-started his career journey with Arsenal. Football for him wasn’t that serious at age six. Anthony, at that time, played for fun and wasn’t under any pressure.

In fact, he never knew what pressure was all about. Young Jaidon just kicked the ball with a smile on his face. With the many trophies he won at that tender age, it was clear that his career would take him to places.

Jaidon Anthony Biography – Untold Football Story:

As the Hackney native continued going further, the more serious his career became for him. At Hale End (Arsenal’s training ground), Jaidon Anthony found himself amongst arguably the best youth generation in the club’s recent history.

At that time, Arsenal boasted young talents like Smith Rowe, Saka, Joe Willock (CM), Reiss Nelson (RW), Ainsley Maitland-Niles, etc.

The support from Jaidon Anthony’s parents (notably his Mum) was one of the reasons for his bright start to his Gunners career. Donna, a huge Arsenal fan, never failed to attend her son’s training, including his award-giving day.

Here is young Anthony in Arsenal kit with his Mum, Donna, just after he won a football trophy as one of the Brightest starts in his age group.

Road to Fame Story:

At the age of 16, the boy was ushered in for a kind of painful conversation every junior player hates to hear.

To the shock of Jaidon Anthony’s family, his beloved Arsenal was letting him go on the grounds that he was too small. The London club claimed Jaidon was really too small and skinny.

Jaidon, at that time, was more frustrated, mostly at the club’s reason for releasing him. While the likes of Joe Willock, Reiss Nelson, Smith Rowe, Bukayo Saka, etc, progressed to the next stages of their Arsenal careers, poor Anthony had to tread a painful path.

Being rejected at the academy is always a difficult time for any young footballer. It is always a time when many young footballers find it easy to abandon their careers.

There are many footballers who have faced it. Anthony Gordon (LW), Aaron Ramsdale (GK), and Dwight McNeil are great examples of footballers who faced rejection.

Through fantastic support from Jaidon Anthony’s parents, including his big brother (Kyneil Grant), and extended family members, he kept plugging away. Despite that, it was still very painful, and his rejection was also a wake-up call.

It is painful to be told you’re not going to be part of the team you have supported and played for all your life.

Anthony, in an interview, told Goal about being released by Arsenal.

Being released by Arsenal was  tough time. After that, I made sure to pick myself up. This is because I knew being a footballer was what I dreamt to do. so I got straight back into taking football trials all over the country.

More Frustrations:

In his quest to get into another club, Jaidon Anthony got called for trial by Crystal Palace. During his Crystal Palace trial, he beat four players before finding the top corner.

Sadly, poor Jaidon didn’t make the grade with the Eagles. Similar frustrations also occurred with other clubs. A poor Jaidon Anthony wasn’t successful with his trial at Hull, Wimbledon and Cardiff City.

In the end, this good Samaritan, who goes by the name Godfrey Torto, comes to the rescue. This man, as seen here, decided to help the boy (Jaidon) who spent ten years at Arsenal’s academy. Godfrey Torto runs the popular AG Football Academy in west London. Again, he is the former Chelsea youth team player.

For many years, Godfrey Torto has helped talented kids from London’s toughest estates to make it as professional footballers.

Jaidon Anthony’s parents valued Godfrey Torto’s help and guidance. He told them to take their son to Bournemouth, which would be a good fit for him.

Hope at Last:

Did you know?… It took about three trials for Jaidon to get signed up by Bournemouth. The club’s Under-21 coach, Stephen Purches, loved his style and made a strong case for him.

When this coach got promoted to Eddie Howe‘s coaching team, it became even better for Jaidon Anthony. Here is the happy boy who just signed for Bournemouth and was optimistic about his future.

In the end, the London boy found his way to the south coast. Bournemouth’s coaching staff did a great job polishing Jaidon’s game and putting him on the fast track to becoming a professional footballer.

In no time, Anthony recovered from his growth spurt problems as his height began edging closer to above 6ft.

The youngster wasted little time settling into life at Bournemouth. Jaidon played in a talented youth team that enjoyed league and cup successes. The Rising star used every opportunity to impress his coaches, and he instantly showed what he could bring to the table.

Sadly, Anthony’s early life as a senior footballer didn’t go smoothly. A training ground injury saw the youngster breaking his wrist. That prevented him from playing against his old enemy from his Arsenal days – no other than Callum Hudson-Odoi.

Success Story:

The boy from Hackney began his senior career by taking a loan to move to Weymouth. This is an England non-league side. In that league, young Jaidon Anthony was out-muscled by grown men, who made him become a man quickly.

Anthony recounted the many physical challenges he had to contend with during that brief stint in non-league football.

Jaidon Anthony, while at the non-league, became an instant hero to his teammates, coaches and fans.

Did you know?… his heavy impact helped Weymouth achieve promotion into the National League. Jaidon achieved this success during the Covid-interrupted 2019-20 season. Now, pictured here, is the Rising start in his Weymouth glory.

The Cherries Rise:

Arnaut Danjuma’s departure from AFC Bournemouth made the club begin shopping for an influential replacement on the left.

At first, a player was suspected of arriving from outside of the club rather than emerging from within it.

Before the club made any decision to buy, they gave Anthony a chance to prove that he could be a worthy replacement. Thankfully, the former Arsenal boy showed his worth – that he can indeed light up the Championship.

The London-born footballer experienced a first-team breakthrough with Bournemouth. Jaidon Anthony exceeded everyone’s expectations as he proved he could do more than just be a good replacement for Danjuma.

His great performance (via a solid partnership with Kieffer Moore and Dominic Solanke) led to many Cherrie goals and assists.

Anthony’s strong start to his senior Bournemouth career led to honours. He won the club’s Player of the Month award and got nominated for one of the numerous EFL Championship Player of the Month awards.

At last, the 16-year-old boy who was released by Arsenal for being ‘too small’ helped Bournemouth get back to the Premier League.

Despite carrying on where Danjuma left off, Anthony has so far felt no pressure. The Speedy Winger showed good quality, got his opportunity, and grabbed all of it.

More importantly, he earned the respect of his senior teammates and the manager. As we say, the rest of Jaidon Anthony’s Biography is now history.

Love Life:

To start with, the 6-foot-plus footballer is not single. We have proof of whom Anthony is dating. Behind the successful AFC Bournemouth breakout star exists a glamorous lady who holds the key to his heart. Find below a photo of Jaidon Anthony’s Girlfriend.

Jaidon Anthony and his girlfriend (at the time of writing) have decided to keep their relationship life private.

And there exists no public scrutiny (from the media) on their relationship simply because it is free from issues. As I write this bio, the name of Jaidon Anthony’s girlfriend appears to be unknown.

Personal Life:

Who is Jaidon Anthony?

To start with, the AFC Bournemouth footballer is a Sagittarius (like Cameron Archer), someone with a large heart. Given everything Jaidon has experienced, he has chosen to dedicate himself to a meaningful project. He proudly serves as an ambassador for the ‘Football For All’ program. This initiative provides football opportunities to individuals who might not otherwise have the chance to play the beautiful game.

Lifestyle:

To start with, the English football breakout star loves partying. Jaidon does that so he can find some escape from the reality of football stress. Put simply, Jaidon Anthony is a party guy, a fast-rising footballer who has decided not to take life too seriously.

Ask the English professional footballer about one of the best places he has visited. Jaidon would likely tell you about the night view of the Eiffel Tower, which is truly magnificent. Around March 2022, Jaidon Anthony paid a visit to the prettiest tower on the planet.

Jaidon Anthony Car:

Although his football wages are capable of buying him luxurious automobiles, Jaidon (as of 2022) has decided not to have any for the showcase.

There exists no record of him showcasing his car via his social media space. Perhaps he might view it as too early to show his fans his assets (cars, houses, etc).

Jaidon Anthony Family Life:

From the onset, Donna and Garry have placed in themselves that primary responsibility for his education as well as laying their son’s career foundation.

This section of Jaidon Anthony’s Bo tells you more about his family members. So, without further ado, let’s begin.

Jaidon Anthony Dad:

Garry Grant is married to Donna. The positive parenting he gave has affected how his two sons (Jaidon and his brother, Kyneil Grant) turned out in life.

Jaidon Anthony’s Dad, who is now a fulfilled man, works closely with his son’s agent (AGM Sports Management). Garry wants his son to have a good football representation.

Jaidon Anthony Mum:

Donna is married to Garry Grant. We credit her for being the reason for her son’s first commitment to watching football. She, a massive Arsenal fan, has made the most sacrifice for Jaidon, starting from his Arsenal football days. In fact, Great Mums have produced successful sons, and Donna isn’t an exception.

Jaidon Anthony Siblings:

Starting off, there exists no record of the London footballer having a sister. And Kyneil Grant appears to be Jaidon Anthony’s only brother – the oldest born to his parents.

Jaidon Anthony is the breadwinner of his family. He always relies on his older brother (Kyneil) for career and personal advice.

Untold Facts:

The final section of Jaidon Anthony’s Biography reveals salient facts you might not know about him. So, without taking any further of your time, let’s begin.

How rich is the Hackney native?

Where Jaidon Anthony’s family comes from (London), the average person makes around £53,700 a year. Do you know?… Such a person would need 15 years and six months to make Jaidon Anthony’s annual salary with Bournemouth.

Jaidon Anthony FIFA:

The Winger excels best when it comes to Acceleration, Sprint speed, agility, balance, stamina and crossing. Adam Armstrong and Harvey Barnes are examples of footballers who enjoy similar movement stats to those of Jaidon. Let’s not forget Morgan Rogers.

When you look at Jaidon Anthony’s profile on FIFA, you could see he is underrated. Truth be told, The Winger, who helped Bournemouth to the Premier League, deserves more than a 70 and 77 overall and potential rating.

Jaidon Anthony Religion:

The Winger is God-fearing, and he was born and raised in a London Christian home. Unlike fellow footballers like Taiwo Awoniyi and Trevoh Chalobah etc, Jaidon Anthony is not the type who fancies sharing details of his faith in the public domain.

EndNote:

Jaidon Anthony’s parents are Donna (his Mum) and Garry Grant (his Dad). They had him on the 1st day of December 1999 at the London Borough of Hackney.

Jaidon Anthony’s brother (his older) is Kyneil Grant, and he (the last born of the family) has no sister. The English footballer has family roots traced to Africa and is of Black British ethnicity.

Thanks to Donna (Jaidon Anthony’s Mum), he became a staunch Arsenal in his childhood. The youngster who began his career at age six with Arsenal was obsessed with Thierry Henry. Because he was a member of the academy, Jaidon enjoyed free tickets.

He also attended free games during the all-conquering Arsenal Invincible era. During his time with Arsenal’s academy, the club had great youngsters like Smith Rowe, Joe Willock, Saka, Brooklyn Beckham, etc.

At the age of 16, Arsenal released Jaidon Anthony on the grounds that he was too small. In the quest to move on, he had trials with four clubs before finally getting into Bournemouth books.

After graduating from Cherries Academy, he was sent on loan to Weymouth, a non-league side. Jaidon, at the time he was on loan, got out-muscled by grownup men. That helped him to become a man quickly. Jaidon helped Weymouth get promoted to the National League.

Arnaut Danjuma’s Bournemouth departure gave Jaidon the opportunity to prove himself in a Bournemouth first-team slot. Jaidon Anthony took the chance, and he proved that he was worthy of being in the club’s first-team selection.

The Winger went on to achieve a meteoric rise with AFC Bournemouth, helping them win promotion back to the Premier League (22/23 season). As I conclude this Bio, the Hackney native, alongside Antoine Semenyo, etc, are widely regarded as the future of Bournemouth.

Appreciation Note:

We appreciate you taking the time to read our version of Jaidon Anthony’s biography. We’re committed to providing accurate and fair stories about UK football players.

If you spot any errors or think something needs correcting, please let our team know via the comments. Stay tuned for more stories about England’s football stars from us. We think you’ll also enjoy the childhood stories of Nat Phillips, Leighton Baines, and Fabian Delph.

Finally, we’d love to hear your thoughts. Share your feedback in the comments, and let us know what you think about Jaidon Anthony and his remarkable career journey.