SEARLE Jamie

General
JOURNEY TO ENGLAND
After leaving high school in November 2018, he worked in a restaurant and built caravans in order to save money to travel to England for a trial at Aston Villa. "I finished school in November 2018, then I worked at a restaurant for three months and built caravans for six months. A member of the club had a caravan business, so he offered me some work. I love building. Goalkeepers do everything with their hands, I also love woodwork. The jobs were great though, as I saved up enough money for a flight. So I went over and had a 10-day trial at Aston Villa, which ended up in a three-week trial and I was offered a one-year deal." (swanseacity.com, 26 Jun 2021)

CLUB CAREER
He began his career in New Zealand with FC Cambridge and Melville United before moving to England in August 2019. He first played Aston Villa and moved to Welsh side Swansea City in September 2020. "I had a great time at [Aston] Villa. It was what I had dreamed of. I hadn't been at an academy in New Zealand, but all of a sudden I was in a top-class facility with amazing coaching for two to three hours a day and the gym programme on top. I learned a lot each day. Everything that had happened in New Zealand really gave me a platform to work from, and then my move to the UK was where my work really stepped up." (swanseacity.com, 26 Jun 2021; transfermarkt.co.uk, 15 Jun 2021)