User:Beatpoet/sandboxSyla

Roy Syla (born 9 October 2000) is a professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for club Ayr United.

Syla is a product of the Barnet academy, but failed to break into the first team squad prior to his release in 2020. Following more than a year as a free agent, he transferred to Brentford in 2021. After two seasons of exclusively B team football, Syla began his professional career in earnest with Ayr United in 2023. He was capped by Albania at youth level.

Barnet
A defensive midfielder, Syla began his career with Barnet at the age of 12 and he progressed through the club's academy to sign a professional contract in March 2018. He spent a large portion of the 2018–19 season away on loan at fellow non-League clubs Kings Langley and Hampton & Richmond Borough and remained at The Hive for 2019–20. Syla was released at the end of the the COVID-19-affected 2019–20 season. He made two senior appearances for Barnet, both in Middlesex Senior Cup matches.

Brentford
On 23 October 2021, Syla joined the B team at Premier League club Brentford on a one-year contract, with the option of a further year, on a free transfer. He had spent periods of the 2020–21 and 2021–22 seasons on trial with the team and was a part of the 2021–22 London Senior Cup-winning squad. Late in the 2021–22 season, he participated in a first team training session. Following 26 appearances for the B team during the 2021–22 season, Syla was released when his contract expired.

Syla was re-signed as a free agent on 20 October 2022 and signed a one-year contract, with a one-year option. Despite being a B team player, Syla was named in Brentford's 25-man Premier League squad for the second half of the 2022–23 season, by virtue of being overage. He was released at the end of the 2022–23 season.

Ayr United
On 29 August 2023, Syla signed a two-year contract with Scottish Championship club Ayr United on a free transfer. He made 28 appearances and scored two goals during a mid-table 2023–24 season.

International career
Syla was capped by Albania at U17, U19, U20 and U21 level. He was a member of the U17 team's 2016 Kazakhstan President Cup squad and captained the U19 team to the final of the 2018 Roma Caput Mundi International Tournament.

Personal life
Syla was born in London to Albanian parents.

Career statistics


Honours
Brentford B


 * London Senior Cup: 2021–22
 * Premier League Cup: 2022–23