Former West Ham United Academy graduate Freddie Sears has welcomed West Ham United’s move to bring local talent Jett Murphy into Rush Green after the 18-year-old completed his move from Chelmsford City.
West Ham confirmed in their official announcement that Murphy has signed a two-year deal and will officially join on 1 July before linking up with the U21 development squad for pre-season.
Murphy’s move has already been framed as a strong Academy story because of his senior non-league grounding, with ReadWestHam looking at Jett Murphy’s non-league rise earlier on Tuesday.
Sears Sees Local Pathway Value
Sears, who came through the Academy before scoring on his senior West Ham debut in 2008, is now working inside the Academy setup at Rush Green and sees Murphy’s arrival as a positive sign for the local pathway.
Former West Ham United Academy graduate Freddie Sears, speaking exclusively to ReadWestHam.com, who now works within the Academy at Rush Green, said:
“It’s great to see West Ham bringing in local talent. Jett was playing non-league football last season with Chelmsford City in Step 2, where he played alongside some excellent former professionals and will have learned a huge amount from that experience.
He was already full-time at Chelmsford, so the transition into a professional academy environment shouldn’t be too much of a culture shock for him.
Being able to coach and pass on my experiences from my time in the Academy and throughout my playing career is one of the main reasons I came back. I love working at the Academy and having the opportunity to help players like Jett develop.
The Academy is a special place, full of special memories, and it has played a significant role in the careers of so many top professionals.
I’ve recently completed my UEFA A Licence, so I’m excited about the next stage of my coaching journey over the coming years. Hopefully, I can continue to help and support many more young players like Jett along the way.”
