INSIDE THE EFL: Meet the 19-year-old striker looking to save Stoke from relegation after a prolific loan spell in League Two

It took just nine minutes for Nathan Lowe to make an impact.

Freshly recalled from a stunning loan spell at League Two Walsall in the first half of the season, the young forward was parachuted into Stoke’s starting XI for a tricky away tie at West Brom on January 18.

The aim – to help rejuvenate an ailing season that had already seen three permanent managers take the hot seat at Stoke.

And, with the game barely into its flow, Lowe was there to pounce inside the penalty box to give the Potters a shock lead and cap a remarkable six months in his career.

It should’ve been no surprise. After all, Lowe netted six times in his final five Walsall games, was one of the most in-form forwards in the EFL and still – more than two months after his departure – remains the third highest scorer in League Two this season.

‘It was great,’ Lowe, 19, recalls to Mail Sport when reflecting on the goal against the Baggies – which saw him enjoy the moment in front of home fans at The Hawthorns.

‘It was similar to my other goal for Stoke (a late winner at Bristol City in 2023) which was surreal, although this time it was in front of people giving me crude sign language rather than a big bouncing away end.’

Stoke’s decision to recall the 19-year-old from Walsall raised eyebrows in some quarters but, given Lowe’s impact on the fourth tier, they were left with little option.

Having scored once in 17 games for the Potters after debuting as a 17-year-old, 18 in 30 matches followed at Walsall.

There was an EFL Young Player of the Month award in October, while Lowe added the League Two Player of the Month gong in December.

The 19-year-old’s showreel had a bit of everything – goals with his left foot, right foot, headers and a few stunners, while that killer instinct on display at West Brom was evident.

In truth, the spell with the Saddlers was everything Lowe could have hoped for.

‘The aim was to go there, get experience, score as many goals as possible, and then come back in a better place,’ the 6ft 4ins forward explains.

‘I hit my targets and then some so it was a good feeling coming back.

‘I had been a bit-part player at Stoke, coming off the bench for 10 minutes here and there so to go and play every single game was great, but you always want to push yourself once you prove yourself at a certain level.’

Walsall sources were effusive in their praise for Lowe when asked by Mail Sport, hailing his attitude, character and personality alongside his obvious talent.

Lowe’s absence has been keenly felt by Mat Sadler’s side, whose 12-point lead at the top of League Two has been cut to three since his departure following three wins in 13 matches.

Lowe had other loan options in the summer, including teams in League One, but chose Walsall after being attracted by the project and Sadler.

As the 19-year-old readily admits, it was a ‘good gamble that paid off’.

During Lowe’s conversation with Mail Sport, it becomes evident that despite his tender age, this is someone with a maturity way beyond their years, while his humble nature shines through.

The teen is speaking as part of the EFL’s Youth Development Week – an opportunity to celebrate the young players who have come through EFL Academies and been given a chance at first team level.

Lowe is the epitome of this and despite a difficult few years at Stoke – something that has seen the Potters fail to finish above 14th in their six full seasons in the Championship since relegation from the Premier League in 2018 – he is one of several talented youngsters at the club.

The likes of Emre Tezgal and Sol Sidibie, son of Potters legend Mamady, are other homegrown products around the first team, while talented loanees Lewis Koumas (Liverpool), Ash Phillips (Tottenham), Josh Wilson-Esbrand (Man City) and Andrew Moran (Brighton) are on the club’s books.

Lowe’s own journey at Stoke wasn’t straightforward, and the striker – whose parents didn’t allow him to join an academy until he was 11 as they wanted him to stay authentic – admits he wasn’t always sure the next contract was coming.

But it did, and Lowe couldn’t be clearer in the role of loan spells for young players’ development.

‘The pyramid is really important,’ explains Lowe, who is under contract at Stoke until 2028. ‘It is so hard to go straight in as a youngster.

‘It’s like with anything, if you’re in another industry, you don’t just go straight for the most stressful role. Let’s say you’re an investment banker, you don’t start running the firm, you have to work your way up.

‘Under 21 football is great, to an extent, but I had played a silly amount of those games. At what point does it become just an exercise, rather than challenging you to be the best you can be?’

Despite the bright start back at Stoke, Lowe is yet to add to his tally, although it has still been a breakout season for the forward, who admits he has suffered with impostor syndrome in the past.

In fact, something he credits for his starring loan spell is sessions with David Galbraith, a sports psychologist who has worked with Japan’s rugby team and canoeist Lisa Carrington, New Zealand’s most successful Olympian.

Lowe revealed Galbraith has helped him to improve his confidence, communication skills and enjoyment of the game.

The forward, whose idol is Harry Kane, admits it has been an adaptation back at his parent club, something not helped by Stoke’s situation.

Mark Robins’ side are 20th in the Championship, one point clear of the relegation zone, with Lowe having had six shots in eight matches for Stoke. He was averaging 2.9 efforts-per-game at Walsall.

Nevertheless, working under Robins, one of the best managers in the second tier, is proving to be a fascinating education.

‘It has been great,’ he adds. ‘I’ve soaked up lots of information and he’s given me a lot of attention. He is demanding, make no bones about it, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.’

For now, Lowe is acutely aware of Stoke’s position, having played only nine minutes across the past four games, but he is optimistic he can have a positive impact in the final six weeks of the season.

‘If we get to a position where we’re safer, hopefully I get some more game time but it’s up to me and how well I train and apply myself,’ says Lowe, who remains on 19 goals in 2024-25.

‘Then hopefully I can score. I said after the West Brom game I wanted to reach 25 goals but that’s not really happened.

‘It’s not impossible, but if not I’ll take two or three. I want to reach at least 20, that’s the absolute minimum.

‘If I don’t score one, I’ll be absolutely raging.’

Young players light up the EFL

Given the EFL is celebrating its Youth Development Week, it feels only right that we point to the incredible impact the pyramid has had on producing young players in recent years.

Inside the EFL can reveal that during the 2023-24 season, academy products featured for more than 300,000 minutes across the three divisions, something that adds up to over nine per cent of total game play. That is the equivalent of all 72 clubs having one academy graduate on the pitch for the full duration of their 46 league games.

Several talented youngsters have progressed from the EFL to the Premier League, while higher honours have been achieved through England age group representation.

In fact, within the 25-man England Under 21 squad named by Lee Carsley last week, 21 players (84 per cent) had EFL experience, while nine (36 per cent) are currently Football League regulars.

Youth development receives around £150million of funding from clubs and the EFL each season, and there is a focus on offering holistic, life-enriching experiences at academies to ensure those who don’t make it are equipped with the skills and knowledge to succeed in other walks of life.

Cowleys get Colchester dreaming again

Danny Cowley’s decision to drop down to League Two last January and join Colchester left many observers surprised after he had spent the previous four seasons coaching in League One and the Championship.

Cowley, who was joined by his long-time assistant and brother Nicky, took over a club that had been badly struggling – and the Us only avoided relegation to the National League on the final day of 2023-24.

The start of this campaign had been better, but following a defeat by Accrington Stanley in early January, Colchester were 17th, seven points clear of the drop, and seemed set for a comfortable, albeit uninspiring year around mid-table.

Back then, the play-offs were a distant vision but a run of 31 points in the past 13 league games has parachuted Colchester up to seventh.

Cowley’s side have an incredible nine wins and four draws during that period and they are now just five points off the automatic spots.

They are 28 points clear of the relegation zone – something that has threatened to suck Colchester in on multiple occasions – and after several years of drift, those in Essex are starting to dream again.