At just 14, Jayden Donald has his heart set on leaving his Perth home for the US in two years’ time.
The Perth High School pupil has won a four-year football-based scholarship in the US – a country he has no links with and has never even visited – starting in August 2024.
Left-back Jayden, who sells matchday programmes for St Johnstone, impressed a talent spotter from agency Five Star International Events in a trial game at McDiarmid Park in April.
The following month, in a meeting at Dundee’s Landmark Hotel, Jayden signed an initial contract to cross the Atlantic after he has passed his final exams.
Super-talented Jayden last season captained Newburgh Juniors U15s to a 100% record – 24 wins out of 24 – on their way to winning the Dundee & District YFA W Mills league title.
And he is also a Scottish champion kickboxer, bagging three gold medals and one silver in the national championships in Motherwell in April.
“He would go to the US a couple of months before his 17th birthday,” says Jayden’s proud father Craig Donald. “He is so up for it it is unbelievable.”
The biggest obstruction to Jayden’s US dream is funding, and the pair hope their story will encourage supporters to contribute towards the costs required to live and study abroad.
Their story is split into the following sections:
- From ‘chubby little kid’ to top footballer
- Kickboxing champion
- Trial and long-term plan
- Funding and father’s advice
From ‘chubby little kid’ to top footballer
Behind many a precocious talent lies a dedicated parent and Craig Donald is one such example.
The 48-year-old former Army soldier introduced Jayden to underage football on Saturday mornings at St Johnstone‘s home ground McDiarmid Park when his only-child was four years old.
“I said to Jayden that you have to be five to do this but he was determined to play and that is how it started, with him as a four year old playing against the five and six year olds,” Craig recalls.
Jayden, a former pupil at Craigie Primary School, progressed through the age groups at McDiarmid Park. His first proper game was with Perth City Blues when he was six years old and he also played for Jeanfield Swifts under 7s.
“He used to be a chubby little kid,” Craig says. “Since he has been training hard there has been an unbelievable change in him. He is so dedicated.”
‘They have pushed me’
For the past two years Jayden has played for Newburgh Juniors.
As well as leading the side to success, last season he won the goal of the season award for a left-footed free-kick from outside the area. The goal is the first in the video below.
“I am a left-footed player and I was always a pretty big kid so they put me in defence. I adapted to that,” says Saints fan Jayden.
“I look up to Paolo Maldini, who was a left-back and also played as a centre-back. And also St Johnstone’s Liam Gordon.
“Whenever I am watching Saints games he always commands the back line and the whole team. That is what I base my game on. He is deservedly the captain.”
Jayden also paid tribute to Newburgh coaches Callum Kay and Danielle Millar.
“They have pushed me and that has really helped me,” he adds.
Kickboxing champion
Jayden began kickboxing three years ago to complement his blossoming football skills.
“My dad always wanted me to do martial arts because, as a defender, he wanted me to have the fight and aggression,” he says.
While Jayden considers kickboxing a hobby, added to his football it ensures he trains seven days a week in some form.
He plays for Style Combat Fitness in Perth and says that under their head coach Ryan Lyall and his assistant Nathan Bartlett “everything has fallen into place”.
Jayden’s biggest achievement in the sport took place in April’s WKA Scottish Championships at the Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility.
His three gold medals came in the 12-14 age group and the 65.1kg+ weight categories.
“Kickboxing has always been a hobby to keep my fitness levels up but it has exceeded my expectations,” says Jayden.
“It helps my football. There is such a bigger difference with my fitness – I am much faster and flexible, and I can better lift my knees up for kicking.”
This summer Jayden is turning his hand to sports coaching, helping out at the Live Active summer camps, including football on the North Inch.
Trial and long-term plan
Craig discovered a possible opening into US football for his son when he spotted an Instagram post by Bellshill-based Five Star International Events advertising a trial at McDiarmid Park.
The company represents different colleges and universities throughout the US.
“I never knew about America,” Jayden says. “I only found out about it this or last year when Dad said it was possible for me to go to America to play football.”
A three-team mini tournament comprising Team USA A, Team USA B and Bridge of Earn sixes was played on the McDiarmid Park artificial turf.
“There are all these kids standing in shoes, trousers , white shirts and American stars and stripes ties,” Craig recalls.
“Jayden was impressed by how professional they were. His face lit up. He went to the changing rooms and was first back up in the blue strip with stars and stripes badge on it.
“He got thrown in with USA A – the better team. It was unbelievable watching him play.
“Jayden is 14 and the next youngest player in his team was a 16-year-old. It went from 16 to 19. Jayden knew he was up against it and I have never seen him play a game of football like that before.
“When you are standing by the side and hear his name getting shouted out by coaches saying ‘excellent touch’ it gives you goosebumps and you think ‘this is it now, everything is coming his way’ and all the hard work with his fitness, losing weight, with the football teams and kickboxing, everything is falling into place.
“At the end of the trial a guy called John Clifford shook my hand and said my kid was superb and he would be sending me a text later on tonight and we will take it from there.”
‘His mind is 100% made up’
John invited Jayden and Craig to a meeting at the Landmark Hotel in early May.
The Donalds spoke to Jayden’s mother, Gillian Yates, who consented to an American scholarship, if feasible.
Jayden signed a contract that will permit him to study for four years in the US on condition that he achieves five National Five grades. He will take exams in Maths, English, History, Biology, Home Economics and PE.
Craig says: “In the hotel John told Jayden that he has the talent, ability and mindset to be signed up for Team Scotland but that he should think about that.”
Craig then recounted how John put forward the case for studying in the US.
“You could be playing for East Fife and then on a cold Wednesday evening in December you will be travelling down to, say, Queen of the South in front of a couple of hundred fans. It’s rainy, it’s miserable, it’s Scotland,” John told Jayden.
“Or you can play all over America for the likes of Dallas, Washington, San Francisco… at college football and there’s thousands of people in the stadiums watching you.”
Craig adds: “As soon as he said that his face lit up. I could see him nodding.
“We have never been to America but I have never known anybody so confident.
“He has never had a single bit of hesitancy in discussing it with him. His mind is 100% made up.”
‘If there are better job opportunities out there I will probably stay’
Jayden also sees long-term potential in studying in the US.
“It is a good thing to say that you have been to America for four years, rather than in England,” he says.
“It is the first opportunity so we took it. So now I am going, 100%.
“Not a lot of people from Perth get the opportunity to go out and about. When I come home it will be good telling people what I have been up to.
“If I get the opportunity to stay out there and play professionally I will take it. Or if there are better job opportunities out there I will probably stay.
“I would like to come back now and again. At Christmas time I will come back to Scotland.”
Funding and father’s advice
As well as the school attainment requirement, Jayden can only study in the US if funding is sourced.
Exactly how much is needed depends on the college that he attends but a full scholarship costs roughly £20,000 per year after the £1,995 agent fee.
This does not include Jayden’s personal spending money, taxes and an insurance policy.
A GoFundMe crowdfunding page has so far raised more than £800. Much more money will be needed, though.
“It’s doable,” Craig says. “I have two years to do fundraising. We could do car washes or other fundraising.”
Craig has been a long-distance lorry driver for 12 years, the past six for Stevensons Brothers (Avonbridge).
He had planned to retire in two years’ time but will now continue for at least another six years as he invests in his son’s future.
“I am going to miss Jayden when he has gone – he is my best mate.” Craig says. “I am being the dad I never had.
“That is why I joined the army – to escape what happened in my younger life. Jayden is not escaping but accepting there is a massive opportunity there.”
‘Folk at your age are smoking and drinking’
Jayden will also find it tough being away from his father.
“It will be hard as anything going away without him,” he says. “A 16-year-old kid on his own in America will be mental. Since we are so close we will talk on the phone every day. My phone bill will be sky-high.
“What I have achieved is 75% down to him. He is always urging me to get up and succeed.”
Craig’s advice to his son includes the following: “I say to Jayden that in life a lot of kids follow the crowd.
“Folk at your age right now are smoking and drinking at the park.
“If you do that, son, you can kiss goodbye to all of your potential achievements and aims you have had.
“I say to him that if you train hard and get a good education when you are young then you can party when you are older.
“Put the work in now and you can have the rewards when you are older.
“Not once has he been drinking down the park with his friends.”
Local support
The following Perth companies have financially backed Jayden’s US scholarship: Direct Shine, China China, Perth Self Store, Mark Berwick Motors, Craic N’ Hair and Chas Stewart Plumbing & Heating.
Go to Craig’s GoFundMe page to donate or discuss sponsorship opportunities.
Conversation