New York Times Features Nathan Trott
Bermudian goalkeeper Nathan Trott has been featured in a New York Times profile in which he reveals the true story behind his move to Premier League side West Ham United.
The story said, “It is almost 10 years since Nathan Trott left his native Bermuda to embark on a new adventure at West Ham United and during that period he has kept quiet about how his move came about… until now.
“The goalkeeper, 27, had a spell in the academy of Spanish club Valencia before joining the Premier League side in 2016. It was always assumed that former West Ham striker Clyde Best, a compatriot of Trott, played a role in the shot-stopper joining the east London side but Trott belatedly wants to set the record straight.
“A lot of people get this story mixed up,” says Trott, who joined League One side Cardiff City on a season-long loan in August from Danish club Copenhagen. “Clyde is a legend in Bermuda and everyone knows he played for West Ham, but he wasn’t the reason I got my opportunity there. The connection makes sense with us both being Bermudian but I went on trial there because my agent knew the academy’s goalkeeping coach [Jerome John, who left in 2021].
Trott during a friendly at Dundee in 2021 [Matthew Ashton/Getty Images]
“Mark Noble [the former club captain and sporting director] was encouraging the club to sign me, which was a nice feeling. I was there for two weeks and they thought I had huge potential, so it wasn’t through Clyde. This is the first time I’ve said it in an interview. Obviously he’s a legend but the truth is the truth, and a lot of people get the story mixed up. I have to give the right people credit.”
“During Trott’s eight-year spell at West Ham from 2016-2024, he had loans at AFC Wimbledon, Nancy and Vejle. In pursuit of stability and first-team football, he left in 2024 to join Copenhagen. From a young age, Trott was used to being out of his comfort zone, which prepared him for his first 12 months at West Ham. After impressing for their under-21s, former manager David Moyes handed the goalkeeper his sole first-team appearance in the FA Cup victory over Doncaster Rovers in January 2021.
“It was a new experience for me being in an environment like that, but my confidence grew and I improved a lot in my first year,” says Trott. “I didn’t get homesick so it wasn’t tough for me being away from family. I received my first England [U20] call-up after six months of being there. In the game against Doncaster, we were 4-0 up, with less than 10 minutes left and the manager said my name.
“I thought, ‘Finally, this is my chance’. Declan Rice and Michail Antonio were joking with me about being nervous before I came on, but that moment was the result of years of hard work. It was a proud moment for my family and friends. Noble was great with the young players so he also helped prepare us for that moment. He would be the first to let you know if your standards had slipped. He would have no issue with getting onto you. It was nice to have his support.”
Read the full story here on The Athletic website.
