| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jem Paul Karacan[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 21 February 1989 [1] | ||
| Place of birth | Catford, London, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Reading | ||
| Number | 4 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1996–2003 | Wimbledon | ||
| 2003–2007 | Reading | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2007– | Reading | 89 | (5) |
| 2007–2008 | → Bournemouth (loan) | 13 | (1) |
| 2008 | → Millwall (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2006 | Turkey U17 | 5 | (0) |
| 2006 | Turkey U18 | 6 | (2) |
| 2006–2008 | Turkey U19 | 10 | (0) |
| 2008–2011 | Turkey U21 | 3 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:00, 15 October 2011 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). |
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Jem Paul Karacan (Turkish: Cem Karacan, pronounced [ˈdʒem ˈcaɾadʒan]; born 21 February 1989) is an English-born Turkish footballer who plays for Reading as a midfielder. He has played internationally for the Turkish youth team, and has captained the U-21 side.
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Karacan was born in Catford, London to a Turkish Cypriot father and an English mother.[2] Between the ages of seven and fourteen he played for the now defunct Wimbledon and left after they relocated to Milton Keynes. He had been offered a four-year contract at the club his father supported, Galatasaray, but refused citing language difficulties, "I couldn't go out there at only 14, not speaking the language and so on."[3] Karacan joined Reading's Youth Academy instead, having been spotted playing against the Royals while on trial at Manchester United.
On 6 July 2007, he signed a two-year professional contract with Reading,[4] and made his debut against Luton Town on the 26th of August in the League Cup, getting on the scoresheet.
Karacan joined Bournemouth on loan, initially for one month, on 18 October 2007.[5] Karacan was put into the starting XI for Bournemouth on 20 October away to Millwall, where he made his league debut in Bournemouth's 2–1 defeat.[6] His loan was subsequently extended to 6 January 2008.[7] Karacan signed a further loan deal in the 2007–08 season on 20 March 2008, this time to Football League One side Millwall, which was originally due to run until 19 April 2008,[8] but was extended to the end of the 2007–08 season.[9]
He scored against Aston Villa in a pre season match before the 2008–09 season, and scored his first professional goal for Reading in a Carling Cup win over Luton Town on 26 August 2008.[10] Towards the end of 2008, he began to start a few matches after impressing in the reserves and following injuries to James Harper and Marek Matejovsky. He signed a new 2 and half year contract in October 2008, keeping him at the club until the end of the 2010–11 season. He scored his first league goal in Reading's 2–2 draw with Blackpool FC on 13 April 2009, in the Championship.[11] Karacan scored his finest goal of his career for reading on 2 October 2010 with a brilliant 25 yard volley to earn his side a 1–1 draw away at Preston North End. On 20 August 2011, Karacan made his 100th appearance in all competitions for Reading against Barnsley in a 2-1 defeat.
Karacan has captained Turkey at youth level. He is eligible with them through his father. He is also eligible for England. He made his debut for the Turkey U21s as a substitute in a 2–1 away defeat to Armenia.
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | FL Trophy | Play-Offs | Total | Discipline | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||
| Reading | 2007–08 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008–09 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 2 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2009–10 | 27 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2010–11 | 40 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 48 | 3 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2011–12 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 87 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 101 | 5 | 13 | 1 | |
| Bournemouth (loan) | 2007–08 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 13 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 0 | |
| Millwall (loan) | 2007–08 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Career Total | 107 | 5 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 124 | 7 | 15 | 1 | |
Karacan received his primary education at Colfe's School in Lee Green, before spending his senior years at the Riverston School of Eltham in London. His roommate on away trips is Joseph Mills.
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