Jakeem Jennings On Trophy Win And More
[Written by Stephen Wright]
Jakeem Jennings is proudly continuing his family’s footballing legacy after a standout season with the Harborough Town Under-23 in England.
The 22-year-old, son of former Bermuda and North Village midfielder Keith Jennings, played a key role in helping Harborough Town Under-23 clinch the Midland Football League Challenge Trophy final at the weekend, capping the team’s performance with a composed finish in the 70th minute.
“I found a little space between the two defenders and was able to slide the ball home from a left-wing cross,” Jennings told Bernews.
Having moved to England at age 14, Jennings attended Loughborough College in Leicestershire, where he graduated in September last year with a degree in sports coaching.
Alongside his academic success, he has steadily progressed on the pitch – first with the League Football Education Academy, and later with Dunlop FC under the guidance of Dennis Zuill, a former Bermuda team-mate of his father.
This season, Jennings joined fellow Bermudian Jutorre Burgess at Harborough and aims to follow in his compatriot’s footsteps by earning a place in the first team, who compete in the Pitching In Southern League Premier Central Division.
“Joining Jutorre at Harborough was purely coincidence,” Jennings said.
“We played a few games together for the under-23s this season before he broke into the first team.
“My main goal is trying to break into the first team. I have trained with the first team and want to play first-team football somewhere in the English non-league.”
Football excellence runs deep in the Jennings family. In addition to his father, Jakeem’s uncles, Kentoine and Kevin Jennings, were also accomplished players.
Growing up, he found inspiration in watching his father represent North Village at Bernard Park.
“My dad’s had involvement throughout my football journey,” said the midfielder, who has represented Bermuda at the under-20 level.
“I used to watch him play at Bernard Park for Village when I was a little kid.
“My original dream was to play for Village and win trophies because that’s all I saw growing up.
“As I got older, I wanted to switch things up and head to England and pursue my goals over here.”
Jennings has fulfilled one of his childhood dreams by helping North Village win the FA Cup in 2023 with a 2-1 victory over PHC Zebras.
“Winning a trophy with Village is something I always dreamt about as a kid,” he said. “That was a proud moment.”
With his roots firmly planted in Bermuda and his ambitions set on achieving in the English game, Jennings is steadily forging a path that honours his heritage while building a future of his own.
