Aziaya: “I’m A Competitor”

Sutton have secured one final name to their ranks before the start of pre-season, with goalkeeper David Aziaya joining the club following his release from Bromley as Steve Morison looks to add additional depth and competition to the goalkeeping union.

After arriving at Gander Green Lane for the first time, David was taking on a tour of his new home before sitting down with SUFCtv to discuss the season ahead.

“It feels good, I’m excited to be here” he said. “I can’t wait to meet all my teammates and get on, and kick on for the season.”

“The move came about quite quickly, I was in contact with Kyri [Neocleous], he reached out to me and presented me with this opportunity and I had a conversation with the gaffer as well, and I decided it’s what I wanted to do, I wanted to get on board and get ready to work.”

A product of the Norwich City academy having been picked up by the Canaries during a stint with the Kinetic Foundation, David managed to develop amidst a high level of coaching and facilities, and quickly established himself as an extremely promising young goalkeeper during his spell at Carrow Road.

“Norwich was a very good experience for me, moving away from home is something I’m not adverse to so, it was obviously different at the beginning, difficult as well, but once I got settled and used to it it became like a duck to water, pretty easy in that sense. They also have got very good facilities, top players, but now I’m onto the next chapter in my career.”

He later returned to South London to move to Bromley, and managed to gain some crucial experience within men’s football, being involved with the first team from the off in regards to training and travelling, as well as being able to learn from two of the best goalkeepers within the lower leagues.

“Bromley was another stepping stone for me in the sense of being in my first first team environment, working with the likes of Grant Smith and Sam Long throughout the last couple of years was good and we had a good goalkeeping group and a good goalkeeper coach.”

“I made my senior debut as well which was a highlight in my career. I have quite vivid memories – I remember the floodlights being off and not working great! The goalkeeper got sent off and the gaffer turned around and said I was coming on which was a surreal experience for myself, and to get a win and a clean sheet as well to go with it as well was a bonus.”

A senior debut would unsurprisingly rank at the top of any young footballers’ career highlights, but something that could rival it for the top spot is a win at the home of English football itself – Wembley Stadium – and although he wasn’t involved in the playing squad, Aziaya can say that he has stepped foot on the hallowed turf in North London, before watching on as his side won a penalty shootout to win promotion to League Two for the first time in Bromley’s 133-year history.

“Wembley was an unbelievable experience as you can imagine, just being on the pitch at Wembley was what dreams are made of and obviously winning as well on penalties, to go all the way was a mental experience.”

With the Ravens now in the fourth tier of English football, Aziaya had to battle even harder to remain in contention within the first team squad, and found time away on loan as the perfect opportunity to maintain his match fitness and continue his development, not just in England, but across the Irish Sea as well with a unique move to the League of Ireland last season.

“I think playing and being in a first team environment and knowing that people depend on you will put me in a better stead coming here. Obviously going out on loan, playing games was the main thing for me but also just growing from a boy to a man and getting some men’s football under my belt was key as well.”

“I just wanted to play. I spoke to my goalkeeping coach over there [Bromley] and the gaffer and we just all came to the agreement that I needed to play games and show what I can do and I feel like I did that out there [at Finn Harps]. I played quite a few games which was good to get under my belt.”

As for the future, Aziaya now moves across South London to compete with current number one Jack Sims, while looking to maintain his development back in the National League, in which he will play second fiddle along with recent academy recruit Josh Robson.

“I’m very excited. I feel like it’s an opportunity for me to go make a name for myself. I feel quite positive for the season, I feel like I’m growing as a goalkeeper and can’t wait to show my teammates, the fans and the gaffer what I’ve got.”

“I think it will be good in terms of me coming in and competing with him and pushing him to try and be the best and vice versa. He’s quite highly rated around these sides so it’s going to be no easy feat if I want to become the number one eventually but I’m a competitor so I’m going to back myself.”