A humble, unassuming lad from Wanstead, Ezra Mayers is a beast when he steps on to the pitch. At just 18, he has already established himself as a leader for the U21s.
Half German, half English, with proud Barbadian roots, Mayers’ journey in Claret and Blue began at the age of nine. Since then, he has lifted the U18 Premier League Cup, been named West Ham’s Scholar of the Year in 2024, despite still being a first-year, and earned first-team call-ups.
For a young defender on an upward trajectory, his story is only just beginning.
Here, he talks us through six photographs that tell the story of his budding footballing career so far.
This is his West Ham story…
On tour with West Ham U9s - 8 years old
“This is me and the boys at U9s in Czechia. We went on quite a few tours around Europe, and I’d say these are my fondest memories of playing football. It was always the highlight of my year. Being away for a weekend, without your parents at such a young age, was so exciting. Amazing experiences.
“Some of the boys, like Elisha [Sowunmi], Fin [Hooper] and Jethro [Medine], are still here now. We’ve come such a long way, and I don’t often stop to think about it, but I’ve known them for over ten years. It’s crazy how well you get to know someone through football. You really do make friends for life.”
Playing for my school team - 10 years old
“This is me representing my primary school, Aldersbrook, at a tournament in Walthamstow. Grassroots and school football was so funny. Everyone would just chase after the ball like a flock of birds, and the coach would shout, ‘What are you doing, you doughnuts!’.
“My grassroots team was Wanstead Athletic. My mum and I would ride our bikes to training because it was only five minutes away. That’s really where I fell in love with football.”
Signing my first professional contract - 17 years old
“Every young footballer dreams of this moment. I was so excited, and I was fortunate enough to sign on my 17th birthday, with my family there to share the moment with me. We went for a nice meal afterwards to celebrate. It was such a special day.”
Winning the DT38 Award - 17 years old
“I remember finding out I’d been nominated after we played Crystal Palace U18s. Josh [Ajala] scored a hat-trick and we won 4-1. After the game, Kev [Keen] and Lauris [Coggin] pulled me aside and said they’d put me forward for the award.
“I was so happy I called my parents straight away, and just a few days later I was at London Stadium, collecting the award in front of thousands of West Ham fans. It’s a moment I’ll never forget.”
First senior matchday squad - 17 years old
“Not exactly a photo but still one of the most exciting moments of my career so far, from last season.
“We were away at Manchester United with the U21s when I got the call. I’d missed a call from Robbo (U21s lead coach Mark Robson), so I rang him back and he told me, ‘Ezra, you’re with the first team, mate’. He said I’d only be playing 45 minutes that day before heading straight back to London. That whole day, I couldn’t really think of anything else.
“After the game I went home, and the next morning, a driver came to pick me up as I didn’t have my licence at the time! I met the team at London Stadium, and my family got tickets to come and watch. Even though I knew I probably wasn’t going to come on, just warming up in front of that many fans was surreal. It’s something I definitely want to experience again.”
Unchanged Hammers ⚒️ pic.twitter.com/nDTtWQJmYQ
— West Ham United (@WestHam) November 30, 2024
Winning the U18 Premier League Cup - 18 years old
“That U18 group was really special. I’d been with a lot of the lads and with Lauris [Coggin] for three or four years, and something just clicked last season. Some of them, as you can see in the first picture, since I was nine years old! We’d worked so hard over the years, so it felt like a matter of time before we won something.
“By the time we got to the final against Reading, I just had that expectation that we would win. Even when they equalised, no-one panicked. We stuck together and pushed forward, and when [Josh] Ajala scored the winner, it was just a brilliant feeling. Celebrating with the team afterwards was the perfect end to a great campaign.”
