An in-depth look into our latest recruit: David Aziaya.

A new goalkeeper has entered the ranks at Gander Green Lane, with David Aziaya making the short move from former club Bromley

Hailing from South London, Aziaya claimed he began to take football seriously at the age of 15 and joined the Kinetic Foundation, a programme based in south London dedicated to developing young players and getting them into professional academies across the country.

He was subsequently picked up by Premier League side Norwich City after playing against the Canaries and impressing scouts, giving him the opportunity to put pen to paper on a scholarship at Carrow Road.

As a result, David was afforded the chance to develop into a fully-fledged professional footballer within top facilities, with the aspiring goalkeeper having high praise for the teammates, coaches and facilities around him as he started his development in Norfolk, and notably commented his goalkeeping coach Tom Weal.

He displayed his determination to prove his worth between the sticks and began adjusting to a high level of training sessions with the Under-23’s, especially with moving the ball with intensity as he looked to mould himself into a modern-day goalkeeper.

After playing a handful of times for the Canaries at both Under-18 and Under-21 level, David moved on loan to Barnsley’s academy during the 2021/22 season as he looked to continue his development with the Championship side’s Under-18’s, and played three times for the Tykes – notably in a 5-0 win over Coventry City in which he pulled off some incredible saves to keep his clean sheet intact – and was rewarded by signing his first professional deal with the Canaries, before gaining crucial senior experience on a youth loan at Faversham Town the following season.

He appeared once during a two-month spell at Salters Lane when he came off the bench to play 72 minutes in the Isthmian League South East Division, but more importantly, gained an insight into life with training alongside men rather than boys, and proved to be an invaluable experience for the young goalkeeper.

This is something he later began to experience day-to-day, with Aziaya departing Carrow Road to join National League side Bromley in July 2023. After securing a return to South London, he got the chance to continue his development with regular training sessions with the first team alongside respective one-month stints on loan at Chatham Town and Dover Athletic.

He appeared three times for the former in the Isthmian League Premier Division, playing a brief part in what ended up as a promotion-winning campaign for the Chats, who secured a second place finish come the end of the season. His short-lived spell at the Bauvill Stadium saw him feature in defeats against Billericay Town ad Canvey Island, along with a 1-0 win over Whitehawk, shining in the latter with a number of crucial saves to help seal all three points.

As a result of his positive displays at Step Three, Bromley opted to send him up a division the following month, with a loan move to National League side Dover Athletic. He appeared five times for the Whites in draws against Bath City, Weymouth and Aveley, along with a defeat against Dulwich Hamlet and a win over Cheshunt in what proved to be his final game for the club. The match against Weymouth proved to be his most notable performance though, receiving plaudits after making several key saves and highlighted his shot-stopping abilities and composure under pressure.

As a result, his parent club took a chance on him and following his return to Hayes Lane, opted to name him on the bench a handful of times during the remainder of the club’s promotion-winning campaign in 2023/24, even making his professional debut for the Ravens in a 1-0 win over Wealdstone towards the end of the campaign. The then 19-year old was called to replace Corey Whitley after first choice shot stopper Grant Smith saw red after just 18 minutes, and allowed David to experience a significant chunk of National League action.

Furthermore, while he wasn’t named on the bench for the play-off final at Wembley Stadium, he was present and part of the travelling squad for a historic day in Bromley history and allowed him to enjoy an invaluable experience of being a part of a promotion-winning team in just his first season within a senior professional football environment. Moreover, with a successful year under his belt for the young goalkeeper, David began to establish himself as one of the most promising players in non-league, and continued to gain experience in the National League South the following season.

After being named on the bench in an EFL Cup match against AFC Wimbledon, a move to Wiltshire saw him make the temporary switch to Salisbury in August 2024, with manager Callum Hart citing his size, 6″6 frame, athleticism and ability with the ball at his feet as reasons to bring him to the Raymond McEnhill Stadium. He subsequently made three starts for the club across an initial two-month deal, impressing in matches against Slough Town, Truro City and Hampton & Richmond Borough, with his performances earning him an extension to his loan and allowed him to participate in Salisbury’s FA Cup campaign.

This was then followed by another brief loan move, now in the Isthmian League Premier Division, with a move to a Dartford side who were aiming to bounce back from relegation the previous season under Adrian Pennock. Aziaya made his debut in a 0-0 draw with Hendon, and played a key role in keeping a clean sheet with the Darts down to ten men for much of the second half, while later featuring in a 3-2 defeat to Wingate & Finchley and a 1-0 win over Erith Town in the Kent Senior Cup.

David then returned to Hayes Lane to be named on the bench again in an EFL Trophy defeat to Charlton Athletic, and found himself out on loan for a third time at the end of January 2025, this time making the move to the League of Ireland where he had the chance to turn out for Finn Harps.

A unique experience indeed, Aziaye featured more than ever before for the Harps, with a string of positive performances seeing him end the season with ten appearances to his name, and grew extensively during his time in Ireland with four clean sheets from his ten games showcasing his reflexes, command of the defence and mental toughness, and David departed Bromley last month a better goalkeeper than the one that joined two years ago.