Dion Sembie-Ferris

Dion Sembie-Ferris
Personal information
Full nameDion Sembie-Ferris[1]
Date of birth23 May 1996[2]
Place of birthPeterborough, England
Height1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[3]
Playing positionWinger
Club information
Current team
Colchester United
Number37
Youth career
2005–2008Peterborough United
2008–Netherton Vultures
–2013Tresham Academy
2013St Neots Town
2013–2015Colchester United
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2013St Neots Town4(0)
2013–Colchester United9(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 11:23, 29 April 2015 (UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).

Dion Sembie-Ferris (born 23 May 1996) is an English professional footballer who plays as a winger for Colchester United. He progressed through the youth ranks at Peterborough United between the ages of nine and twelve, when he was released and moved to Peterborough Junior Alliance team Netherton Vultures. He later joined St Neots Town, breaking into the first-team at the age of 17 and catching the eye of the Colchester United Academy. He signed for the U's in November 2013 on a professional development contract.

Career

Born in Peterborough, Sembie-Ferris attended Bushfield School in his hometown, while on the books at Peterborough United between the ages of nine and twelve. When he was released from the club, he joined Peterborough Junior Alliance side Netherton Vultures, and was a member of the under-14s side that won the 2010 ET Sports 'Team of the Year' award.[4] Sembie-Ferris continued his football education at the Tresham Academy, where he helped the under-21 team to the Central Conference reserve league title in 2013.[5] He then joined St Neots Town to continue his development. While with St Neots, Sembie-Ferris had a trial with West Ham United,[4] and made his debut for the club in the Huntingdonshire Senior Cup Final in May 2013, a game which his side won 2–0.[6] He made four substitute appearances in the Southern Football League during the early stages of the 2013–14 season,[7] before joining League One side Colchester United. He had been on a six-week trial with the U's and impressed then academy manager Tony Humes. He was handed a contract until the end of the season with a view to earning a professional development contract and progressing further.[8]

During his first season with the club, Sembie-Ferris helped his teammates to a Youth Alliance South East league title and Youth Alliance Cup double, playing 78 minutes in the final victory over Bradford City at Valley Parade on 29 April 2014.[9] He first travelled with the Colchester United first-team for their League One clash with Crewe Alexandra on 27 September 2014, having made an impression on Tony Humes since his arrival from St Neots.[10]

Sembie-Ferris made his first-team bow for Colchester on 2 January 2015, coming on as an 85th minute substitute for Elliott Hewitt in their 3–1 FA Cup third round defeat to Cardiff City at the Cardiff City Stadium.[11] Following his debut, Sembie-Ferris set his sights on a league debut for the club, saying that it was a "great feeling" to make his professional bow, and that his aim was to "get an appearance in the league and hopefully push on from there".[12] The fixture that followed Colchester's FA Cup tie was a league match at his former and hometown club Peterborough United on 10 January. Sembie-Ferris stated that he was "desperate to play at London Road".[4] Despite missing the 2–0 win, Sembie-Ferris did play in Colchester's next game, making his home debut by replacing Elliott Hewitt after 79 minutes of their 2–0 defeat by Walsall on 17 January.[13] He was handed his first start for the club in their 2–0 home win over Yeovil Town on 17 March, playing 71 minutes before being substituted off for Gavin Massey.[14]

Career statistics

As of match played 28 April 2015.
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
St Neots Town 2013–14 Southern League Premier Division 4000–0040
Colchester United 2013–14[15] League One 0000000000
2014–15[16] League One 90100000100
Total 90100000100
Career total 130100000140

    Honours

    Colchester United U18
    All honours referenced by:[9]

    References

    1. ↑ "List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/11/2013 and 30/11/2013" (PDF). The Football Association. 30 November 2013. p. 3. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
    2. ↑ "Dion Sembie-Ferris". Soccerbase. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
    3. ↑ "Colchester United". Footballsquads.co.uk. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
    4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Swann, Alan (8 January 2015). "Boy from the Boro could haunt Posh". Peterborough Evening Telegraph (Peterborough). Retrieved 9 January 2015.
    5. ↑ "U21 Team Claim League Title with 1–1 Draw at Burton Albion". Tresham College of Further and Higher Education. 18 May 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
    6. ↑ "St. Neots Town vs. St. Ives Town 2–0". Soccerway. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
    7. ↑ "Dion Sembie-Ferris joins Colchester". Cambridge News (Milton). 29 November 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
    8. ↑ Hudson, Matt (26 November 2013). "Sembie-Ferris Joins U18s". Colchester United FC. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
    9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Marston, Carl (30 April 2014). "League-Cup double for super Colchester United Under-18s". East Anglian Daily Times (Ipswich). Retrieved 9 January 2015.
    10. ↑ Hudson, Matt (26 September 2014). "Young Duo Make Step Up". Colchester United FC. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
    11. ↑ Pritchard, Dafydd (2 January 2015). "Cardiff 3–1 Colchester". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
    12. ↑ Waldron, Jonathan (7 January 2015). "Sembie-Ferris sets sights on league bow after U's debut". Daily Gazette (Colchester). Retrieved 9 January 2015.
    13. ↑ "Colchester 0–2 Walsall". BBC Sport. 17 January 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
    14. ↑ "Colchester 2–0 Yeovil". BBC Sport. 17 March 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
    15. ↑ "Games played by Dion Sembie-Ferris in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
    16. ↑ "Games played by Dion Sembie-Ferris in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Retrieved 9 January 2015.

    External links