Football stardom beckons for Boston Utd’s Jewish ace Aaron

“Travelling regularly to National League clubs across the country, I made 11 appearances at U19 level, scoring five goals and providing three assists, before going on to make one U23 and one first-team appearance. At the end of the 2023/24 season, the club achieved promotion to the National League via the play-offs. Due to that unexpected promotion, plans to restructure the U23 setup were put on hold, and most of us from the U19s were not retained for the following season.

“Boston went full-time and professional last summer and invited me back for a trial. I was successful and now play alongside teammates who have come through EFL academies, those on professional first-team contracts and some who feature in international squads.”

To date, he’s made 11 appearances for the U19s, seven for the U23s, and two for the men’s team, his professional debut seeing him come on as a substitute to replace former Manchester United player Deji Sotona.

Ezra went close to scoring while making his professional debut for Boston United. Photo by Oliver Atkin[Missing Credit]

Describing his time at Boston, he says: “I’ve really enjoyed both spells there. The club has high standards and a strong commitment to player development, which makes it an excellent environment for me to push myself and improve.

“Balancing university alongside football can be demanding, especially with the travel, but the support the club offers makes that balance manageable. My aim is to earn as many minutes as possible and continue pushing to be involved with the first team in training and league fixtures.”

One of his proudest moments to date was earning his ISFA International Cap against Scotland Schools. “What made it even more special was being presented with a traditional embroidered international cap,” he says. “The match was played just around the corner from Hampden Park, and it meant even more as I was an U17 playing in an U18 squad. I remember travelling up with my dad and then getting the sleeper train back from Glasgow to Euston so I could be back at City of London School in time for registration the following morning. Many of my former ISFA teammates are now playing at clubs ranging from the Premier League down to League Two, as well as in the Scottish Premiership and at full international level.”

His international journey could have though seen him embark on a different route. As he explains: “During a player development meeting at Boston United, the club asked about my family roots as they are keen to support players in exploring international opportunities. As my grandfather was part of the Rangoon Jewish community, Boston made contact with the Myanmar Football Federation (MFF), who offered me a trial at a future international camp. However, given the political situation in Myanmar and the next fixtures being away against Syria and North Korea, that wasn’t quite going to work for a nice Jewish boy from Northwest London!”

His footballing journey hasn’t been all plain sailing though and it was when he’d been selected to represent Team Maccabi GB at the 2022 Maccabiah Games, to represent the U18 squad, that he ruptured his Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL), forcing him to be out of action for nearly a year.

“It happened a few months before the tournament started, but I still went out to Israel as I wanted to support the team. I was out for about a year, but didn’t feel sharp and fit again until maybe a year and a half after the injury. Mentally it was tough, but I kept myself as physically active as possible, I recall going to the gym while on crutches to work on upper body strength.”

Reflecting back on that time out and hoping to inspire those in the community to pursue their goals in sport, especially those who may have suffered setbacks, he says: “Look at your development holistically. A setback doesn’t mean you stop improving, it just means the focus might shift. For example, after rupturing my ACL, I became much stronger physically and far more resilient mentally, which are both crucial aspects of athletic development. I also learned the importance of seizing responsibility and opportunity in all areas of life, which helped me hold my own in what can often be a challenging and toxic football environment.

“Time away from the pitch can be used productively. Injury periods are a chance to work on mental strength and the gym-based elements you may have previously neglected, while also developing different parts of your game and your character. Progress will come, even if it looks different from how you first imagined.”

Proud of his Jewish roots and heritage, Ezra, who refers to his ‘modern Orthodox upbringing’, is a student CST Team Lead and a Stand With Us Emerson Fellow. He says: “I’m heavily involved in the Jewish community, Jewish education and observance have always been central in my life. Co-Head of JSoc at City of London School, I regularly attend Chabad, Chaplaincy and Aish and enjoy Jewish learning and having Shabbat meals with the community. My interest in Israel is equally significant. I’m a strong Zionist and this year I’m on the Stand With Us Emerson Fellowship. Over the past few years, I’ve volunteered with Magen David Adom, worked on IDF bases, cooked meals for soldiers and supported disadvantaged children in Eilat. I’ve also spent several weeks training with professional football clubs in Israel and spent time in religious environments in Jerusalem, Tzfat and on Dati Kibbutzim.”

Keen to pursue a postgraduate degree in clinical psychotherapy, as to what he’d like to achieve on the pitch in the future, he concludes: “I’d like to play at as high a level I can achieve and would be particularly interested in playing professionally in Israel if I were to make Aliyah.”