Goalkeeper Jayden St Paul has been on trial at Reading Football Club for the last eight weeks after he was scouted at our event in August.

Jayden, 14, was at our trials in both February and August this year and caught the eye of several watching scouts, as his mum Nicola explained.

“After the UK Football Trial we heard back from two clubs, Reading and team in the Premier League,” Nicola said.

“One wanted to follow up their interest and they watched him in some more games, while Reading invited him for a trial at the development centre.

“He had an initial two week trial before he got asked to come to the academy for six weeks, where he was training two or three times a week and it’s been really beneficial for him.”

During his time at Reading Jayden has worked on mindset – an important factor for ‘keepers – and analysis of his own game alongside his regular work with the goalkeeper coach.

For the last few weeks, Jayden has been training with the shadow squad at Reading as well as still playing for his local side, for who he was man of the match in a cup final at the end of last season when he saved one and scored another in a penalty shootout.

At just 14-years-old Jayden already stands at 6 foot 3’ and has made some impressive strides in his career in this year, but Nicola says he isn’t getting carried away.

“He’s very aware that he hasn’t made it yet, but he’s putting his heart and soul into it and really enjoying getting this technical coaching for the first time.”

Aside from short spells at Chelsea and QPR when he was younger, and a two week trial with Fulham off the back of his UK Football Trial in August, Jayden has never received any professional coaching or had any trials for pro clubs, so these past few weeks have been a big learning curve for the young ‘keeper.

We would like to congratulate Jayden on his trials for Reading and Fulham and we’ll bring you updates on his future as we get them.