Ilfracombe-raised Joe Hatch joined Plymouth Argyle in September 2019, from his local development centre at Chivenor. Following the 18-months of non-football due to COVID, he immediately caused waves throughout football in the South West, and wider afield, during the 2021/2022 U16 Youth Alliance season, where he scored 26 goals from October 2021 to late February 2022, playing up a year from his normal U15 age group. The 5ft 10” striker, who qualifies for four different countries – England, Wales, Slovakia and the Czech Republic – was given an early scholarship by his club, following his four-goal haul away at West Bromwich Albion. Joe has subsequently been selected for Wales in the UEFA Development Tournament in North Wales in April 2022, winning 3 caps against Brazil, Turkey and Spain at U16 level, scoring against the latter two sides. He started the 2022/23 season in style with a hat trick against Cheltenham Town U16s in the first half, before moving across to the U18s and also scoring for them in their second half ! He has continued to score consistently at U18 level during the first half of the season, including winning 4 penalties in two games against Swindon Town U18s. Joe also won 2 more caps  for Wales U17 against France in Clairefontaine in autumn 2022, before again winning 3 more caps in the European Qualifying games against Albania, Sweden and Croatia, once more scoring 2 goals against the latter two nations. His international record is 4 goals in 8 games to date. Joe currently has 15 goals to his name this season, as of the start of the academy break in mid-December 2022, and barring injuries, should again be selected for Wales U17 for the Elite Round of the European Qualifiers in March 2023. He will be aiming again to break the 30-goals mark by the time the 2022/23 season comes to an end.