LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 27: A general view inside the stadium as Neal Maupay of Brighton & Hove Albion scores their team's first goal during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Brighton & Hove Albion at London Stadium on December 27, 2020 in London, England. The match will be played without fans, behind closed doors as a Covid-19 precaution. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
The youthful striker Brad Dolaghan has joined West Ham United, and the team is thrilled to announce this.
Following a fruitful summer trial session, the 19-year-old earns his first professional deal with the Hammers and becomes a member of Mark Robson’s Under-21 development group.
Dolaghan comes to West Ham from Worthing, a National League South team, where he excelled right away after moving up from the U18 setup. Dolaghan was a key member of Worthing’s offensive line during their six-game winning streak at the close of the previous season, which guaranteed them a spot in the play-off semifinals.
Six goals in five starts for the youthful attacker were scored. He would start at the front of the line against Maidstone in the semi-final and play a part in the final thanks to his outstanding goal-scoring ability. Worthing nearly lost out on playing in the National League after losing to Braintree in overtime in the play-off final, despite having a fantastic conclusion to the season.
His performance in the sixth division secured him a trial with the U21 team of West Ham United. Dolaghan scored twice in three starts while on trial, and he also traveled to the Far East with the team for the 2024 Hong Kong Football Club Soccer Sevens.
When Dolaghan thought back on his transition from non-league to academy football, he stated, “It was a great feeling.” Many hours of labor have gone into
Before making his debut in the National League South, Dolaghan was on trial at a number of clubs. He feels that his senior football experience will be invaluable when he moves to play for West Ham United’s U21 team.
“I believe my background will be a huge asset. If players my age or younger who aren’t in academies were still playing football, I would definitely encourage them to play senior football.
“Being a player for Littlehampton and battling to survive a relegation battle before returning to Worthing to nearly earn a promotion was the best experience I could have had.” I firmly believe that I would not be where I am now without those experiences.”
Dolaghan would also play against Ebsfleet, Maidenhead, Granada, Real Betis B, and Club NXT U23 during the young Hammers’ preseason. As he grows in Claret and Blue, senior coach Mark Robson and his coaching staff will be eager to refine his movement and eye for goal.
“There’s no doubt he’s caught the eye playing senior football and scoring plenty of goals,” Robson said. “Since his arrival, we have witnessed his growth. He’s learning things diligently, and once he’s in the program, I’m sure we’ll see him get better and better. Positive aspects can be observed throughout training. Over the coming years, perhaps, we can capitalize on a great deal of promise.”
Brad is cordially welcomed to West Ham United and we wish him the best of luck as he pursues a career in claret and blue.
