Young Don Jack Searle has signed a contract extension this week that will keep him at Aberdeen until the summer of 2028 after continuing his impressive rise.
The versatile wide man just signed a new deal with the Dons early in the summer, another of the young talents at the club who have earned valuable experience on loan and are looking to push on and make the first team in the years to come.
“I was very happy to sign the new contract in May and was excited about what this season would bring.
“I knew it was important to have a fast start to the season to back up what I had done last year. You have to keep improving, you have to keep working hard. I felt I did quite well in the summer before picking up a little injury. Now I am trying to get myself back up to full speed. I have to be the best I can be every day."
Having spent last term with Keith, the 18-year-old has stepped up this term, moving on loan to Peterhead, where he is hoping to get plenty of games under his belt.
“I enjoyed my time out on loan in the Highland League last season. It was great to get minutes under my belt. I really felt the benefit of playing regular football. It was certainly very helpful and the reason I probably got a new contract in the summer. The boys and all the coaching staff at Keith were class. It was exactly what I needed. My confidence became a lot higher. I feel like I want the ball all the time. I want to go at players.”
The Blue Toon, managed by former Dons Jordon Brown and Ryan Strachan have both Jack and Zak To in the squad for the 2026/27 campaign.
“The loan move at Peterhead has gone well so far. They are a great club and everyone has made me feel really welcome. I would not say it has been daunting, but it is obviously a different level from where I have played before. The biggest difference is the style of play.
"It’s definitely a step up in intensity and the technical ability of the players on show – and the ball is not so much in the air as last season. It’s still physical, but definitely a step up.
“Our aim as a team is to push for top four and push for the play-offs. Personally, I just want to get as many minutes as I can and help the team as best I can.
“As I say it was a slower start at Peterhead than I would have liked because of the injury, but I’m getting into it now.
“So far this season I have been playing wide left or wide right.
“Last season I played left wing, left wing-back, right wing, right wing-back, right-back and was deployed as a striker! I feel my versatility is not a bad thing to have, it is not a negative. It can’t be a bad thing to be comfortable in heaps of positions.
“My preferred position is being in a forward area, coming in off the left side and onto my right foot. This is where I feel I can influence the game best. I like to go at players. I like to travel with the ball. I have good pace, and I can use my physicality. As with all the emerging talent squad, the Inverurie born youngster is involved with the Aberdeen reserve team.
“We all really want to do well with Aberdeen. We won the Aberdeenshire Cup last season, which was a great feeling, but we lost in the Aberdeenshire Shield final. Playing together with all the other young players at the club is a great experience, and enjoyable because as a group, we all get along really well. We all look each out for each other and push each other on. We want to do well again in the cup competition’s this year, as well as the KDM trophy.
“We made a positive start in the competition up until this week. The result against Bank o’ Dee was very disappointing. We failed to take our chances in the first half and then started the second half slowly and got punished for it. We need to be a lot more clinical in front of goal. Hopefully we can bounce back with much better performance on Saturday. It will be tough at Cove, and at Elgin next week, two very tough games but we still believe we can qualify from the group. We will go and give it our very best and see what we can do.”
Jack was also involved with the first team in pre-season and understands the value, and importance of those opportunities.
“Stuart Duff and Paul Coutts have been such a big help in getting us ready for chances like that. Every time you train with the first team you have to try and impress, and give it your all.
“Stephen Craigan has been helpful as well since he came in. He’s been telling me I’ve always got to keep working on my end product. I’ve got to start bringing in the assists and the goals.”
Searle was involved for the first-team action in pre-season, coming on as a second half substitute in a friendly win at Linfield.
“I flew to Linfield with the squad and that was a good experience. I just got told the day before and I was buzzing. I didn’t really expect to get on. It’s just been all positive so far this season and I’ve just got to keep showing what I can do.”
