A WINTERBOURNE student has signed a contract to play football for a top-flight Italian club.
While other 18 year olds have been celebrating their A-level and BTEC results, Jack Nunn has moved to Cagliari, on the Italian island of Sardinia, to join the Serie A side’s Under-20s squad.
He has signed a two-year deal, with an option for a third year, and over that time will be aiming to play his way into the first team squad.
Jack (pictured above signing for Cagliari) has lived in Watley’s End all his life and first played football for Frampton Rangers.
He joined Mangotsfield United aged eight and was scouted by Cagliari while he was playing in a football tournament for representative college sides.
Jack had been picked to play in the tournament through his performances in midfield for SGS College, where he studied a BTEC in business and finance and trained under former Leeds United head coach Dave Hockaday.
He was part of the England Colleges Football Association side which went to the Roma Caput Mundi invitational football tournament in the Italian capital earlier this year.
Jack’s dad Dave said he was spotted during his first game and watched by a scout, who expressed an interest in giving him a trial.
Dave said: “We ended up going to Sardinia for two nights to see the club – it’s a really nice club. We were invited back at Easter and at the end they were saying they wanted him.”
Jack’s journey started at Frampton Rangers
Jack attended Elm Park Primary School and Winterbourne Academy before going to SGS, and started playing football for Frampton Rangers at the age of four and a half.
Dave said: “He went just to have a kickabout at the weekend.
“His first game was in the tipping-down rain – it didn’t deter him.”
Jack moved to Mangotsfield United to take advantage of the opportunity of progression to adult football.
Club chairman Steve Brown said Jack had broken into the senior team at the age of 16.
Steve said: “Over the last two seasons, he has become a regular and was part of the two sides that won both the League Cup and the County Cup.
“While it’s obviously a huge loss to us here, we couldn’t be more happy for Jack on this fantastic accomplishment, and it’s no more than he deserves!”
Technical skills
Jack also played with development side Bristol Inner City, where he played with future Bristol City players Ephraim Yeboah, Rae Nelson, Elijah Morrison and Billy Phillips, but never joined a league club’s academy.
Dave said this had allowed him to get on with enjoying playing the game.
He said: “In academies people are always worried the kids are going to get shoved out, but no-one ever restricted him from playing football.
“It wasn’t something he was looking to make a career out of. This opportunity has come up and he’s just gone with it.
“The Italians like him because he’s got the technical skills they like but he’s picked up the physical side of English football as well.
“It’s a big move from Winterbourne to Sardinia – we’ve never even been there on holiday.
“Jack’s very grounded and I hope he will cope very well.
“The worst that can happen is he gets two years in Italy, and comes back with a suntan and something to tell the kids about.”
Serie A debut in 1st team would be a ‘dream come true’
Jack will start in the Cagliari squad that plays in the Primavera 1 U20s league.
He is finding life “very different”, especially the language, which he intends to start learning.
Jack said: “Obviously it was a great surprise to get scouted by such a prestigious club and playing football in Italy, or anywhere abroad, was something I never imagined.
“I’m hoping to become an established team member – progression in time to play for the first team would be a dream come true.”
‘Hunger to succeed’
SGS head coach Dave Hockaday says Jack is versatile, playing as a central defensive midfielder, box-to-box midfielder, number 10, striker, and occasionally centre-back.
He said: “Jack joined SGS College in 2021 as a promising young midfielder with great physical potential.
“Being one of the youngest in his age group, he was a late developer but quickly adapted to full-time training with us at SGS College.
“Across our football academy our motto is “hunger and belief”, with Jack having the hunger to succeed.
“As he embarks on his professional football career, everyone at SGS is incredibly proud of him and wishes him the very best.”