Following a successful attendance at our 5-day camp event back in August 2020, talented striker Saba was scouted by semi-professional club Hartley and Wintney F.C. It became clear that his hard work and dedication had paid off when we recently checked back in with him to see how he had progressed.

Saba’s History

Following Saba’s successful 5-day camp event in 2020, at the age of 17-years-old Saba signed up for the education programme with Hartley and Wintney F.C and was also training with the first team at the club. Saba continued to train and play well and was offered a contract with the first team but just before the signing following all his hard work and dedication, he found himself with an opportunity at National League’s Wealdstone F.C U23’s which also involved him training and playing some in-house games with the first team at the club which was too good of an offer to turn down.

Current Status

After playing at Wealdstone F.C for a while Saba then had an opportunity to go and play football in Georgia for tier 2 team Locomotive Tbilisi and tier 1 team Iberia 1999 which is a great opportunity and experience. We asked Saba if he could have done anything different during his experiences what would he have done and what advice would you give to younger players up and coming….”I would have joined a men’s team way earlier than what I did as playing men’s football as the experience you get at men’s football is so much more valuable than youth football.” Saba then went on to add that throughout his experiences with various teams at different levels of the football pyramid “never be afraid of changes within your game.” We asked him to elaborate on this and he said that when he first signed with Hartley and Wintney he was a striker. He then moved his position to centre midfield to suit the style of play of a new club and now he plays as a centre back as that’s where he has found himself more comfortable during his time out in Georgia.

Saba has just returned to the UK from playing football out in Georgia and we asked him what his next steps and goals are to which he replied….”My aim is to reach the national league or the English Football League (EFL) within the next year or two.” During preseason Saba will train with multiple clubs and keep gaining exposure to try and help him reach his goal of the national league or even the EFL.

All of us here at UK Football Trials are very proud to hear of Saba’s progress so far and wish him the very best of luck for the new season and to reaching his goals he has set himself.

Saba Gagua – Aged 20 – Originally scouted by Hartley and Wintney F.C and went onto opportunities with Wealdstone F.C (National League) & Locomotive Tbilisi (Tier 2 Georgian League) & Iberia 1999 (Top Tier Georgian League)