Unfortunately I wasn't born when the team had their golden era, but I enjoyed watching the likes of Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman when I was growing up.

[22][23] His rapid rise to fame also led him to be named amongst the top three finalists for the prestigious BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award on 11 December 2005.

[29] Walcott made his Premier League debut on 19 August 2006, the first day of the 2006–07 season, coming on as a substitute against Aston Villa and setting up a goal for Gilberto Silva.

His 12th-minute strike was overshadowed by events later on in the match: John Terry was knocked unconscious, Didier Drogba scored twice to give Chelsea a 2–1 victory and three players were sent off following a mass brawl.

[47] In April 2009, he scored against Wigan Athletic,[44] before, four days later in the Champions League quarter-final second leg, he gave his team a 10th-minute lead against Villarreal after receiving a pass from Fàbregas and flicking the ball over the goalkeeper.

[44] Three days later, Walcott came off to the bench to run half the length of the field before squaring for Andrey Arshavin to put Arsenal 4–3 up against Liverpool in the 90th minute; the match finished 4–4.

[51] Problems with lower back, knee and hamstring meant he did not play a full 90 minutes until 9 December, against Olympiacos in the Champions League, as Arsenal, already qualified for the knockout stages, fielded the youngest team ever to start a match in that competition.

[52] On 6 March 2010, Walcott scored his second goal of the season against Burnley in a 3–1 victory to give Arsenal a decisive lead, with a left-footed effort from the edge of the box, after cutting inside from the right flank.

He scored within three minutes of entering the match, "brought speed and fearlessness to the hosts' attacks", and was involved in the move that led to Fàbregas' equaliser from the penalty spot.

According to BBC Sport's match report, Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola "anticipated his inclusion by bringing in the pacy Eric Abidal" to mark him, and Walcott's main contribution was to set up Nicklas Bendtner's opening goal in a 4–1 defeat.

[56] In the second match of the new Premier League season, Walcott scored the first hat-trick of his club career as Arsenal beat newly promoted Blackpool 6–0.

[58][59] Interviewed after Arsenal's FA Cup third-round tie against Leeds United in January 2011, Walcott admitted diving in the last minute of the match in an unsuccessful attempt to win a penalty kick.

[76] On 29 December, Walcott was deployed as a lone striker and scored his first Premier League hat-trick of the season and provided two assists in an emphatic 7–3 win over Newcastle United.

[94] The injury, a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament of his left knee, meant he was ruled out for at least six months, so would miss the rest of the season and the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

[97] On 25 January, Walcott scored his first goal of 2014–15 campaign in the second minute of Arsenal's 3–2 FA Cup fourth-round win at Brighton & Hove Albion.

[99] On 30 May, Walcott was selected to start at centre forward for Arsenal in the 2015 FA Cup Final, scoring the opening goal in the team's 4–0 victory against Aston Villa.

[102][103] He began the 2015–16 season starting at centre forward and assisting Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's winning goal in the 1–0 defeat of Chelsea in the 2015 FA Community Shield on 2 August 2015.

[121] On 5 April, Walcott captained Arsenal to a 3–0 win in their league match at The Emirates against London rivals West Ham United; he scored the second goal,[122] which was his 19th and last of the season and took his total to 104.

By October, he was increasingly on the fringes at Arsenal,[126][127] and was criticised following a poor performance when made captain in a 2–1 League Cup victory at home to Championship side Norwich City.

[128] with Arsenal's second highest goalscorer Ian Wright suggesting that for Walcott's own good, he needed to leave the club,[127] a view with which Wenger disagreed.

[133] He made his debut for the club three days later, providing the assist for Oumar Niasse's equaliser in a 1–1 draw at home to West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League.

[136] On 17 October, he played for Southampton again for the first time since 2006 and provided an assist to Jannik Vestergaard's 92nd minute equaliser in a 3–3 draw against Chelsea in the Premier League.

[139] On 18 May 2021, Walcott signed a permanent two-year contract at Southampton which activated after his current loan deal with Everton expired at the end of June.

[154] Over the summer of 2009, Walcott participated in England under-21 team's 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship campaign despite protestations from his club manager, Arsène Wenger.

[159] He faded after a bright start[160] and was replaced by Shaun Wright-Phillips after 57 minutes as England recovered from a goal down to beat Egypt 3–1 at Wembley Stadium.

[166] In the Euro 2012 qualifying match against Switzerland on 7 September 2010, Walcott was stretchered off after he was clipped in the build-up to Wayne Rooney's opener for England after 10 minutes[167] putting him out of action for several weeks.

"[174] Walcott was informed by England manager Gareth Southgate on 16 March 2017, his 28th birthday, that he was being dropped from the squad to play a friendly against Germany and a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Lithuania, despite scoring 17 goals in 29 appearances in all club competitions during the 2016–17 season.

[180] His family made a cameo appearance in the 2007 film Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, directed by David Yates, the uncle of Walcott.

[184] His cousin Jacob Walcott was a trainee at Reading[185] and a member of the England national under-17 football team appearing in the 2009 UEFA European Under-17 Championship.

[199] Walcott appeared in an advert for Adidas in August 2016, showing off his skills in dribbling and flicking a ball into the open top of a wheelie bin.