Nathan Mavilla speaks out on his time at West Ham

Former West Ham academy star Nathan Mavilla has spoken out about his time at the club.

The 20-year-old left-back joined the Hammers in the summer of 2012 from the academy at Wycombe but never made a first-team breakthrough at the club.

Mavilla had a spell on loan at Aldershot sandwiched either side of loans at Wealdstone United before his release from the Hammers in the summer of 2016.

A number of football league sides reportedly took Mavilla on trial over the summer but none offered him a contract. He was training with Charlton when youth coach Jason Euell recommended him to Maidstone United who have signed the player following a successful trial.

Mavilla admits it’s been tough being one of the outs at West Ham this summer.

“It’s been tough, turning professional at West Ham and not making the grade for them.” he told Kent Online.

“As they were moving into the Olympic Stadium there was so much going on and it was out with the old and in with the new.

“I was unfortunate to be one of the outs but it’s a blessing in disguise because this could be the start of something here and an opportunity to get back on track and actually take my career seriously.”

Mavilla made the first-team squad once, last season in the Europa League qualifiers against Astra Giurgiu, and he said it was an ‘unreal’ moment.

“I came in from training with the under-21s and they said, ‘you’re on the bench’. We flew out on a private jet and it was unreal finding out what the first team was all about.”