Ezra Mayers has enjoyed quite the start to life as a full-time footballer in East London.
Calm in possession, and with a good range of passing too, Mayers penned scholarship terms ahead of the 2023/24 season.
But, despite making his U18s debut as a schoolboy, the left-sided defender found the transition to full-time football an altogether different challenge.
Ever the one to take an obstacle on, Mayers has approached this season with a positive attitude, however. And success has come quickly for the young centre-half and West Ham United U18s, as a result.
“To be honest, the transition has been quite tough,” Mayers reflected on stepping up from schoolboy football. “It is getting easier, the more I train and the more I play, the better I feel. This is a great group and that has helped with the transition to full-time football.
“I enjoy it more than last year when I had to go to school and then to training after. I can put more of my focus into football now and hopefully, this will allow me to improve and develop quicker.”
A commanding start to life at U18s football has seen Mayers labelled as one of the next generation’s best young talents by The Guardian and the centre-back is determined to continue his progression with the Hammers and harbours hopes of playing for the first team one day.
Whilst Mayers bases his playing style on Premier League defenders such as Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk, the 16-year-old hopes to follow in the footsteps of Divin Mubama, who made his top-flight debut last season.
“There is a clear pathway at this Club,” he added, “and younger players can look at what the likes of [fellow defender] Kaelan Casey and Divin Mubama achieved last season and recognise that we all have that opportunity.
"We know that if we continue to work hard and perform then we could get an opportunity to train with the first team in the future and possibly even play. It’s good to know that we have that potential pathway.”
The talented defender made six appearances for the U18s as a schoolboy during the 2022/23 season, in which Kevin Keen’s young Hammers secured a historic double for the Club, winning the U18s Premier League South as well as the FA Youth Cup.
But even though Mayers was proud to play his part in a superb season, the defender is focused on creating new memories with the current U18 squad.
He continued: “The U18 side of last season set a high standard for us to follow. It’s important for us not to constantly compare ourselves to them because we are a different group.
“We have started the season positively despite a loss and a couple of draws so the only disappointment is that we haven’t got even more points at this stage of the season.”
The Irons currently occupy third place in the U18s Premier League South table, having picked up five wins from their next seven matches after an opening-day defeat against Arsenal.
Keen’s side have scored a remarkable five goals in their last outing as they swept Reading away on Saturday morning.
And Mayers, one of the defenders to feature in all of the U18s’ league outings in 2023/24, remains determined for the young side to push for more success this season.
“We had a difficult start to the season against Arsenal,” he added, “but we have bounced back really well. We have managed to put together a good run of results and we have built momentum.
“It’s important for us to maintain our high levels and to play with excitement and conviction. This is a really good group, and we will look to keep improving.”
