Melanie Slade

Melanie watches Sweden game

2006-06-22T06:34:00.000-07:00

Melanie was photographed by The Sun with the other players wives/girlfriends heading off to the England - Sweden game. Unfortunately Theo didn't get on the pitch :(

Melanie supports Race For Life

2006-06-19T14:32:00.000-07:00

Melanie is currently supporting the 2006 Race for Life event organised by Cancer Research UK. Despite this she asked for privacy whilst she revises for her exams.Mel has said she would not be making any decisions about the various media offers she has received until after the World Cup.

2006-06-02T05:43:00.000-07:00

Melanie Slade

2006-05-24T23:59:00.000-07:00

Exams first, then World Cup

2006-05-23T22:52:00.000-07:00

A LITTLE over two weeks ago, Miss Melanie Slade was just another unknown schoolgirl who worked on weekends at a jewellery store while preparing for her exams.

Today, she is Britain's newest celebrity, thanks to her boyfriend - newly-minted national soccer star Theo Walcott.

The 17-year-old schoolgirl's face became standard fare on tabloids immediately after Sven Goran Eriksson announced that Walcott, who is signed to Arsenal but has never played a Premier League game, would be part of the England World Cup squad.

Since then, she has been compared with other famous football wives and girlfriends such like Coleen McLoughlin and singer Cheryl Tweedy, who are engaged to Wayne Rooney and Ashley Cole respectively.

Speaking to the Mirror at her first public appearance at a breast cancer charity event recently, she said that she was trying her best to cope with her new-found fame.

'I'm so shocked. I'm just trying to relax,' she said.

'I've got exams to finish. My friends have been great and aren't jealous of the attention I'm getting.

'They think this is surreal. It has affected my exams but I'm trying to put my head down and get on with it.'

BEAU BEFORE DAD

Miss Slade, who is currently studying for A-levels in psychology, biology, chemistry and maths at Itchen College in Southampton, hopes to become a physiotherapist in the future.

But because of her exams, she won't be able to catch her 17-year-old beau play Paraguay - if he gets to play - in the first World Cup game in Germany on 10 June.

'My last exam is on 14 Jun so I could go out to Germany to watch them play after that. I will go if I can,' she said.

Still, that hasn't stopped her from jetting off to Portugal last week to watch her boyfriend train. To be with Walcott, she chose to miss the ceremony where her father, Mr John Slade, was made a city council mayor.

'I am disappointed but at the moment the pressure is on her,' Mr Slade told 24dash.com, a news website covering the public sector.

INSEPARABLE

Walcott first met Ms Slade about nine months ago when he spotted her manning the counter in a jewellery shop where she works part time. Since then, the two have been virtually inseparable.

When Walcott found out about his surprise call-up to the England squad, he celebrated by buying a 20,000 ($60,000) Volkswagen Beetle for his sweetheart.

And if Walcott manages to shine in Germany, Miss Slade could stand to receive a whole lot more.

Industry watchers say that she could earn about 1 million over the coming months from magazine and endorsement offers.

Walcott's agent Warwick Horton told the Mirror that the couple has received some of the 'craziest offers'.

Photographers have also been tailing the stunning teen whenever she leaves her Bitterne, Southampton home.

Despite the media spotlight, Mr Horton said that it has not changed the couple.

'All this attention hasn't fazed them,' he said.

'They're just trying to get on with things. Their lives have changed forever, so they know they just have to adjust.'

But for now, it seems that Miss Slade would prefer to be left alone.

Just hours after she appeared at the charity event, she issued a joint statement with the Walcott family asking the media to respect her privacy as she revised for her exams.

Theo & Mel

2006-05-22T23:51:00.000-07:00

Teen sensation Theo Walcott's coach said yesterday that he believed the young star was ready to start matches for England in next month's World Cup;
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger added that Walcott could also be an "interesting weapon" to use from the substitutes' bench.

Theo Walcott has inherited Wayne Rooney's mantle as English football's most exciting teenage talent. Theo Walcott has already scored 4 Goals in the Championship. He's the youngest ever Southampton player, Definately the one to watch in 2006.

Theo has been dating 17-year-old A-level student Mel Slade for almost two years. They met shortly after he arrived in her hometown to sign a youth contract with ex-club Southampton.

She now plans to travel to Germany with the other England wives and girlfriends to cheer him on.

MEL LOVEBUG

2006-05-22T23:42:00.000-07:00

SHE'S Mel on wheels! Delighted Melanie Slade tries out her new VW Beetle yesterday - a romantic gift from World Cup wonderkid boyfriend Theo Walcott.

The £20,000 soft-top lovebug was delivered to 17-year-old Mel's home in Southampton complete with personalised number plate M444 TJW, which stands for Melanie for Theo J Walcott. Arsenal's Theo, 17, had also stuck a miniature Gunners shirt on the window

Let Theo & Melanie lead a normal life

2006-05-22T23:36:00.000-07:00

DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT when I was 17 I was pretty normal and dated quite a bit. I didn’t really expect them to last for ever. It was all part of growing up. Now Theo Walcott and Melanie Slade are having their teenage relationship played out in the full glare of pre-World Cup publicity. My advice is “just say no”.
To Max Clifford, that is. He was part of the big feature that the BBC’s Ten O’Clock News did on the pair. It was suggested that Melanie could give up her studies and become a model or sell perfume. The tone seemed to smack of: “Who needs education when you are in line for a Prada handbag?”

Poor girl. I don’t know how they feel about each other, but I can imagine them being forced to stay together because they know that if they break up they will be front-page news. It would be normal teenage stuff for the rest of the country, but there will be no smoking behind the bike sheds or canoodling in the back row of the cinema for them. Not without a photographer and a PR guru in tow.

It is an incredible situation. A footballer who has not played a Barclays Premiership game is going out with someone he met while shopping one day. They are the new Wayne and Coleen, who, of course, were the new Posh and Becks.

The media were no doubt surprised when Melanie issued a statement asking for some privacy so that she could concentrate on her AS levels. Her boyfriend, meanwhile, celebrated his call-up for the England squad by taking his driving test. It was all very normal.

Sadly, it will not last. I read that she wants to meet Coleen and assume it’s not for revision tips. I hope that she carries on with her own ambitions and does not decide to live off the back of Theo’s fame. It is possible to do that. Maybe she will not want to become a model or an actress and do a host of magazine shoots. It can be done. Steve McManaman’s wife is a lawyer and the general public has no idea who most of the England footballers’ wives are.

If it’s like this now, though, imagine what will happen when Theo actually plays for England. I believe they should bring in a law protecting teenagers from being hounded by the media because they are not being given a chance. It’s morally wrong.

All eyes are now on Germany. I feel sorry for Jermain Defoe and Darren Bent but wish Theo Walcott well. I also hope Aaron Lennon does well. Nobody seems too bothered whether he has a girlfriend or not, but I suppose, at 19, he is old news.

MEL'S ON THE LEVEL

2006-05-20T05:49:00.000-07:00

Asked if she will be joining boyfriend Theo Walcott in Germany for the World Cup, 17-yearold Melanie Slade says it depends on whether her studies will allow it.

Meanwhile his former sweetheart Emily Blowfield admits their relationship ended because they were "too young to be in love".

Clearly the young striker has something of an affinity with bright, levelheaded, sensible young women with their feet firmly on the ground.

A footballer can be judged by his skill on the pitch.

But to judge the man himself, look no further than the company he keeps.

Showbiz

2006-05-20T05:45:00.000-07:00

Take Melanie Slade, the 17-year-old girlfriend of England's soccer superkid Theo Walcott, who in just over a week has been splashed all over the front pages, modelled in a charity photo shoot with a number of other 'Footballers Wives and girlfriends' types and as soon as her exams are over will no doubt be penning her autobiography.

What a difference it all was years ago, when the wives and girlfriends of sporting heroes were content to very much take a back seat.

Theo Speaks...

2006-05-18T23:30:00.000-07:00

WORLD Cup wonderkid Theo Walcott has revealed for the first time how he netted his gorgeous girlfriend Melanie Slade.

He also told how he did not even like football when he took it up at the age of ten — and how he dreamed of becoming an artist.

In an exclusive Sun interview in Portugal, where he is relaxing with the England squad, Theo, 17, recalled wooing Mel.

As she sat blushing beside him, the giggling Arsenal striker told how a pal had spotted Mel working at a Southampton shopping centre. Theo said:

She was standing outside the shop where she works with a basket. My mate was shocking.

He said, ‘That basket is to put numbers in.’ I was like ‘You stupid boy.’

So he walked past and put his number in the basket and I was like, ‘That’s so not on’. I walked past again and saw her looking, so I thought, ‘It’s my turn’.

I wrote my number and name on a bit of paper and just gave it to her.

Turning to red-faced Mel, 17, he added: “That was it really, wasn’t it? She’s blushing!

“I didn’t hit her with any cheesy chat ups. She was really shy.

“She just contacted me and we’ve been good since. It’s been nearly eight months.

“It’s really good. She’s brilliant, she’s gorgeous.”

The couple have been thrown into the spotlight after Theo became the youngest player ever in an England World Cup squad — despite never playing a game in the Premiership.

They are now gearing up for Theo’s chance at glory when the tournament starts in Germany next month.

A-level student Mel has been surrounded by paparazzi since she was named as Theo’s girlfriend.

But Theo says they are NOT planning to be the next Wayne Rooney and Coleen McLoughlin.

He said: “We haven’t been to any footballer parties at all. We’re not people who like to party.

“On my 18th birthday next year I’ll just be with my family, my girlfriend and a couple of mates. I’ll have a nice relaxing birthday dinner and that will be it. I’m just a quiet lad, me.”

He laughed when asked about another birthday celebration which he calls his “most embarrassing moment”.

Theo revealed: “It was on a date with Mel. Basically these candles are lit and I’ve gone to blow them out and I’ve blown too hard and all the wax has gone right in my face. My face was covered. It was horrible!” Theo confessed he didn’t even like football when he first played it — and considered being an artist. He said: “I took up football but I wasn’t that interested.

“People were saying to my dad, ‘You know he’s got something’ and my dad was ‘Yeah, whatever’. I didn’t take it seriously.

“I was quite good at art at school. So I would probably be studying art now if other things hadn’t happened.

“I was just an average student, I wouldn’t mess around in lessons. Well, only maths the odd time.

“I bumped into one of my school teachers the other day. I was just chatting to her. She was brilliant — they looked after me really well at school.” Theo, who was brought up in Newbury, Berks, revealed he and Mel had a friendly rivalry over who would pass their driving test first.

She beat him to it after he failed first time. Then he bought her a “lovebug” as a surprise gift — a VW Beetle convertible.

He revealed: “The first driving test I had was really funny — the instructor wouldn’t let me out of first gear. I’m now with another firm and doing really well. But Mel passed her test recently so that was really good.”Mel’s dad John is Mayor of Southampton — where Theo made his name before transferring to Arsenal in a £12million deal in January.

But he is only now getting used to being recognised in the street.

Of fans, he said: “If they want an autograph, I just do it. I’ll stop and talk the odd time. It’s good to do that, the fans appreciate it.

“Being called a role model is a bit weird — only 17 and a bit of a role model.”

Asked whether his quiet life might change now he is in the World Cup squad, Theo laughs and says: “I won’t let the lads drag me down to a club, not at all! I’m not one to club.”

Theo is determined to spend his spare time playing golf, seeing Mel and his family — dad Don, mum Lynn, sister Hollie, 22, and brother Ashley, 19.

He said: “I’m a family man. I like to spend time with my family, girlfriend and best mate.”

Theo paid tribute to his dad, saying he was his “inspiration”.

“He brought me to every training session in Southampton from Newbury three times a week, so without him I wouldn’t be here now,” Theo says proudly.

Since his transfer the star has splashed out on a £2million house in Hertfordshire.

He also admits he is hooked on designer clothes, inheriting his love of fashion from his mum, who studied it at college. He said: “Fashion is a big part of my life. I like Armani and Hugo Boss.”

And he is looking forward to wearing the England squad’s official suit — designed by Armani.

But will fame go to his head? “Not at all,” insists Theo. “I won’t let it. I have my family around me. I just want to concentrate on football, I just want to be the best footballer that I can.”

New Southampton mayor sworn in - as Mel Slade's dad

2006-05-16T22:23:00.000-07:00

The father of England footballer Theo Walcott's girlfriend was the butt of a few jokes today when he was invested as a mayor.

John Slade, who is the father of 17-year-old Melanie, became the 784th mayor of Southampton at a ceremony at the city's Guild Hall.

But his youngest daughter was not present as she is with the 17-year-old Arsenal striker in Portugal where he is in training with the England squad after his surprise selection for World Cup duty.

This did not stop colleagues having fun at Mr Slade's expense as his wife Sheila and daughters Sarah, 22, and Emma, 19, watched with the audience of several hundred.

As his year-long mayoralship was proposed fellow councillor Alec Samuels said he was going to talk about Mr Slade as a modest family man who has done a lot of work for business in Southampton but, he said: "Ladies and gentlemen I am scrapping that - he is about the most famous mayor this city has had in 790 years."

To roars of laughter from the audience Mr Samuels continued: "He is the father of the girlfriend of a footballer!

"I am told he's a rather famous footballer and if and when he starts scoring goals he will be the most famous footballer in the land and beyond.

"The youngest of John Slade's daughters is the delightful and pretty young lady Melanie.

"I am afraid we may not see much of him. He will be spending the summer in Germany, I gather there is something going on there. In the autumn he will be in London attending celebratory dinners. I am told Max Clifford has been engaged."

He told the audience that Mr Slade's wife Sheila may be disappointed because on occasions the mayor may be escorted by "a younger and even prettier woman".

Mr Samuels said: "If a reporter was to see Councillor Slade in the Ritz in London with a dazzling piece of fluff he can say 'that is not a dazzling piece of fluff that's my daughter'. And it will be true."

And then to rapturous applause Mr Samuels said finally: "It's with expectation and pride, and a tinge of envy we present to you with wholehearted support ... Melanie's dad."

Mr Slade then spoke and thanked his wife and children for their support and mentioned that the media had been chasing his family "relentlessly" since news of his daughter's nine-month relationship with Walcott came to light.

The couple met at a shopping centre in Southampton when Melanie was working in a shop.

Since then Walcott has transferred to Arsenal from Southampton in a deal that could be worth up to £12million.

Walcott has not played first-team football for the London club but was the surprise choice to be included in Sven-Goran Eriksson's England squad for this summer's World Cup in Germany.

Today At School...

2006-05-15T08:50:00.000-07:00

MELANIE, Melanie, I love you so much it’s a felony.”
Theo's muse
An extract from the Secret Diary of Theo Walcott, aged 17 and a quarter.

Not that Theo’s jottings will remain secret for long. As is the way of famous lives, young Theo may soon bring the full might of his GCSE English to bear on his autobiography.

As the Star reports, Theo is being offered millions to tell the story of his life - the paper is talking of fees of £5million.

This is not bad money for a young blade who runs the risk of being mistaken for a ball boy as he waits for his big chance by the side of the pitch.

But what can Theo have to tell us about a life that promises much but has barely begun? Perhaps he should include pictures to pad things out.

And if he is looking for illustrations, doubtless publishers and newspapers would be interested in any shots or doodles he has of his pretty girlfriend Melanie Slade.

To kick things off, the Sun produces a still of Melanie showing unmistakeable potential in her first photoshoot.

Snapped by a friend when she was just 16, Melanie, now aged 17, can be seen “displaying her toned figure” in a small top and an over-the-knee gypsy-style skirt.

“Melanie was always going to be famous,” says Hannah Newell, who took the pictures, “she’s so pretty.”

Young Theo may well like to use that photo and the photographer’s quote in his tome. But one photograph cannot be enough.

A diary full of statistics from Theo’s junior playing days, anecdotes about his kindergarten and insights into his first experiences with a text message may not be enough to hold readers in his thrall.

If the book is to be hit, something more is needed. We feel that this is not the last time we will see Melanie posing for the cameras...

Walcott's girlfriend asks media for privacy

2006-05-15T08:45:00.000-07:00

The teenage girlfriend of England World Cup squad member Theo Walcott today asked the media to respect her privacy while she revises for forthcoming AS-level exams.
Melanie Slade, 17, issued a joint statement with the Walcott family asking that they be left alone, just hours after she appeared at a charity publicity event.

The statement said that she would not be considering any of the "very kind requests for interviews or commercial offers" until after the World Cup.

Slade and Walcott, also 17, were thrust into the public eye on Monday when he was sensationally picked for the England squad for the tournament despite never having played in the Premiership.

The sixth-form college student has been splashed across newspaper pages every day since the selection was announced.

Today she joined wives and girlfriends of other footballers at Tottenham's White Hart Lane stadium to publicise Cancer Research UK's race for life.

The statement said: "Melanie wishes to thank the media for their interest in her since the selection of Theo Walcott to the England World Cup squad on Monday.

"However, she wishes to request that she now be granted privacy to allow her to focus properly on the exams which she is about to sit. Melanie hopes that, as she is still in full-time education, the media will comply with this request.

"To that end, Melanie will not be considering any of the very kind requests for interviews or commercial offers until after the conclusion of the World Cup finals in July.

"Similarly, the Walcott family has been flattered by the media interest in them and Theo since Monday's announcement and has endeavoured to be as cooperative as possible. However, they, too, wish to request that their privacy now be respected

Move over Coleen - meet football's new blonde

2006-05-15T08:44:00.000-07:00

The girlfriend of Theo Walcott, England's World Cup sensation, has described his selection for soccer's biggest tournament as "unreal".

The 17-year-old player - a surprise addition to coach Sven-Goran Eriksson's provisional squad for Germany - has been catapulted into the public eye after being picked to join the country's best footballers.

Girlfriend Melanie Slade, 17, said she was excited following the shock announcement that could mean her boyfriend playing against the world's best soccer stars.

Miss Slade, who is at sixth form college, said: "I'm extremely happy for him. Neither of us can believe it. It's unreal. "He was so excited. This is such a good thing for him. I hope he does well."

Walcott also told the Sun he missed Michael Owen's wonder goal against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup because it was past his bedtime. "I didn't see the Argentina game. I have Michael Owen's goal on tape but the game must have been past my bedtime."

Walcott was earlier praised as a "special talent" by former Southampton manager Harry Redknapp, who oversaw the teenager's development last year while they were both at the club. Meanwhile, ex-England coach Graham Taylor described his inclusion in the squad as "an amazing decision".

The life of the 17-year-old and his girlfriend will change dramatically if he plays in the tournament and produces the kind of form that prompted Arsenal to pay millions for him. The youngster's meteoric rise bears comparison with Wayne Rooney, who also went from schoolboy footballer to national hero in just a few years.

Walcott said earlier, in a Sky TV interview, that he had received news of his call-up after completing his driving theory test: "I was so surprised. My eyes were just popping out of my head."

He said he had switched his mobile phone off and put it in the locker while he was taking the exam - which he passed.

He only learned he was in the squad later when he spoke to his father.

"I didn't think it was true. He said to me I was in the England squad.

"I was shocked and surprised, as everyone was. My first thoughts were, I can't believe this." He told the Sun that he celebrated his call-up by playing World Cup monopoly with his father Don - and losing.

The 17-year-old said: "We went home, switched off all the tellies and played with my dad and my mate Adam. I just wanted to get away from things."

Walcott has come to national prominence since being picked for the squad by Eriksson, who has admitted never watching the youngster play live, although he believes the gamble is worth it.

Redknapp, now manager of Portsmouth, told Sky Sports News that the youngster: "Is a special talent, he's got fantastic pace, he really is lightning quick. He's a great mover, he's got good control and he can score a goal."

But he added the proviso: "It's a big gamble to put him in the squad though, let's not kid ourselves."

Taylor said: "It's the biggest decision any international manager has taken on the eve of a major tournament, it's an amazing decision. "But by all accounts the boy has got pace - and that's pace in capital letters."

With the country's interest in the World Cup ignited by Eriksson's bold move, the decision is already causing the opposition concern, with one Swedish player dubbing the teenager England's "World Cup joker".

Sweden defender Teddy Lucic told a paper from his home country that he will have to do his homework ahead of their Group B clash in Germany - because he has never even heard of Walcott.

He said: "It will not be easy to come up with a plan to stop him though, when he has not even played before. He could be their World Cup joker, we'll have to see if he plays."

Walcott has not featured in Arsenal's first team since moving to the north London club from Southampton in January, in a deal worth up to £12 million.

The lightning-quick winger, who can also play as a striker, said his aim was to improve.

He said he already had to cope with "big stages" such as Real Madrid's ground, the Bernabeu - where he was on the bench for Arsenal - this season.

The teenager said he had not been able to speak to Eriksson on Monday, but the outgoing England chief called this morning to wish him "all the best".

Walcott could also be on course to break Wayne Rooney's record as the youngest England player.

If he takes the field against Hungary in the World Cup warm-up match on May 30, he will be just over a month younger than the Manchester United star was when he made his international debut.

Walcott said: "Most players don't get to go to a World Cup - I'm the lucky one.

"Becoming England's youngest player would be something special. The likes of Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney were put in at young ages and if I do something like they've done in their careers, it would be special."

England's New Striker

2006-05-15T08:36:00.000-07:00

COULD this be the real reason ladies’ man Sven Goran Eriksson has called upon callow youth Theo Walcott to spearhead England’s World Cup bid?

Will Coleen take on Mel lying down?

She is called Melanie Slade. She is blonde. She wears her sunglasses on her head. She is aged just 17. And she is just the thing to brighten Sven’s mood as he sweats on the fitness of Wayne Rooney.

Mel is what the Star calls: “THEO’S SECRET LOVE.” Theo is the 17-year-old footballer who despite never playing a first-class game for his Arsenal club has, nevertheless, been included in England’s World Cup squad.

If Melanie is Theo’s secret girlfriend, then Theo is England’s secret footballer.
Not that the couple will have many secrets for long as the papers shine their flashbulbs on “sexy Mel”.

Mel lives in a “smart” three-bed semi in Southampton with her parents and two sisters; the Mail says the house is worth £500,000.

Mel is studying for A–levels in science and psychology. She used to work in a shop in Southampton’s West Quay shopping mall, where she met Theo. Mel’s dad is in line to be the city’s next mayor.

Of course, what the papers really want to know is what Mel looks like in a bikini. But while we wait for those shots of the young blonde sunbathing by a German pool, and doing wonders for Sven’s morale, we get to hear her speak.

“I’m very proud of Theo and very happy for him,” says Mel, who addresses the Mail while dressed in an orange top, diamond earrings and designer sunglasses. “...Neither of us can believe it. It’s unreal.”

And at once we realise that, like Theo, Mel is a raw talent who has it all. She has Coleen McLoughlin’s gift for fashion and footballers, and Celebrity Big Brother winner Chantelle Houghton’s way with words. And to top the lot, Mel sports a real version for Chantelle’s assisted blonde mop.

Mel is the wonderkid who will set the World Cup alight. Now if we can just see her in dressed in shorts, England top and boots, the world will be hers...