Fayers left Northern NSW NPL club Maitland mid-season to travel overseas after winning a one-month scholarship with the Genova International Soccer School (GISS) from a trial at Newcastle university in May.

After a month of unsuccessful trials across two first-division Malta clubs, the 20-year-old went at his own expense to the GISS Academy in Madrid to continue training. He spent two weeks there before CD Leganés invited him to train and play with their under-21 side.

After a month, Fayers was offered a contract with the team, which play in the fifth division of Spanish football. He returned home this week to organise a student visa to return for their season, which finishes in May.

The contract at an elite club was satisfying given the sacrifices made this year.

Fayers deferred midway through his university physiotherapy degree to pursue his football ambitions.

“My coach is actually the director of the club,” Fayers said. 

“It only takes one good season really and I could be pushing up somewhere else.

“When they made the offer, it only took me a couple of hours to make up my mind. This is why I took the year off Uni and I’m just very fortunate to get my chance.

“They are helping out with food and board. It’s obviously not amazing pay, being my first contract, but it’s just a stepping stone to something better if I want to do the hard yards. It’s just the start.”