18 year old Academy graduate Ezra Myers made his Premier League debut for the Hammers in their 1-1 draw at Brighton, a well earned reward after years of hard work progressing through the ages groups.

Myers has progressed through the ranks in claret and blue in a journey that has seen him grow and develop from a talented eight year old boy into a player ready to take their first strides into senior football. His displays at youth level, which included plenty of standout performances for the U18’s, earned him a scholarship and led to him signing a professional contract in early 2024.

Over the past two seasons he has helped the U18 side to cup success and the U21’s reach the PL2 play off quarter finals, whilst gaining valuable experience in the EFL Trophy. Having been named on the bench for the first team a number of times, the 18 year old finally got his chance under Nuno Espirito Santo and made his first team debut with a number of familiar faces from the coaching staff watching on on the sidelines.

Speaking after the game, Myers reflected on a special day in his young career, describing his delight at finally having made his first team debut. “Ever since I was a little kid, this has been my dream. Even though the result didn’t go our way, I’m still happy to get on the pitch.” said the young defender.

Asked whether it added something extra making his first top flight appearance with a number of his long time academy coaches watching on from the bench, Myers said: “Yeah, I mean, I know the coaches very well, which is quite unusual for someone who steps into a first team environment. I’ve known Gerard for six years maybe and then spent the last two seasons working with Mark and Steve and Gerard as well. So, I understand them well, they understand me well and it’s been good that we can both go on this journey.”

Having had his first taste of Premier League football, the Academy graduate is hungry for more. “I mean, once you’ve made that debut, you want to go again. You want to get back on the pitch. I think that’s definitely the next target that I’ll be working towards.”