Fraser Hornby has admitted he still doesn’t know why he was not given more of a chance at Everton.
Now at VfL Wolsfburg, it’s time for Hornby to reflect, and he’s done so via their official channels.
The 27-year-old joined the German club in the summer in a €4m deal from Darmstadt 98 in the latest part of a European tour.
He started his career with Northampton Youth before moving to Everton. He progressed through the ranks at Goodison Park, eventually making the first team, although that was a brief, one appearance stint in the Europa League.
“The Merseyside derby against Liverpool was coming up the following weekend, so there was a lot of rotation for the Europa League match against Apollon Limassol,” he now remembers.
“I was actually slated for the bench. Then, in the final training session before the trip to Cyprus, Sandro Ramirez got injured – and suddenly I was in the starting lineup. For a young player like me, it was a really great experience.”
💬 „Meine Karriere hat eigentlich erst vor zwei Jahren begonnen“
Sein Profidebüt feierte Fraser Hornby mit 18 Jahren. Trotzdem hat der schottische Stürmer mit 27 das Gefühl, gerade erst so richtig angefangen zu haben.
Im großen Interview vor dem Duell mit seinem Ex-Klub… pic.twitter.com/ZeSSaOi8xI
— VfL Wolfsburg (@VfL_Wolfsburg) September 18, 2026
How Hornby looks back on Everton period
No further appearances followed, though. He eventually left in 2020, joining French side Reims. From there he’s played for Aberdeen and KV Oostende on loan before joining Darmstadt in 2023.
64 appearances, 25 goals and 11 assists followed over three years before his €4m move to Wolfsburg earlier this summer.
He’s excited for the latest chapter, which he believes wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t left Everton. It seems he holds no ill will for the Toffees. That’s despite not knowing why he wasn’t given more of a chance.
“There could be many reasons for that,” he adds.
“I don’t know the exact answer myself, I was 18, and after a full pre-season with the first team, I felt ready for senior football. I wanted to prove myself and didn’t want to spend another year playing exclusively in the youth ranks.
“That’s why I decided to go to Belgium on loan. In hindsight, that was probably one of the best decisions of my career. The move opened up many new opportunities for me in European football – and I haven’t returned to England since.”
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👉 “We know Friedkin well: he spares no expense for Roma, and were he not held back by UEFA’s constraints, he would spend even more”https://t.co/CsyMCS0l2h #efc
— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) September 17, 2026
