When trying to justify your price tag to your new fans, scoring a free-kick against your arch-rivals in your third match goes a long way
A prodigious talent at left-back, Bale signed for Tottenham from Southampton for £5m in 2007 while only 17 and went straight into the first team.
A stand out performance on debut away to Manchester United preceded goals against Fulham, Arsenal and Middlesbrough and, as the team toiled during Martin Jol’s final weeks in charge he was easily Tottenham’s most incisive player, providing sound defensive cover and thrusting forward runs.
But just as the Welshman’s skill, composure and dead-ball acumen looked set to help him continue this rapid ascent, a foot injury ruled him out for the rest of the season.
Wales’s youngest ever senior international and the Championship’s Young Player of the Year for 2007, Bale will be looking to make up for lost time in 2008/09. Watch this space.