Jake Speight

Jake Speight
Personal information
Full nameJake Carl Speight
Date of birth28 September 1985
Place of birthSheffield, England
Height5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Playing positionForward
Club information
Current team
Alfreton Town
(on loan from Harrogate Town)
Number7
Youth career
Sheffield United
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2004–2005Sheffield United0(0)
2005→ Leigh RMI (loan)0(0)
2005Scarborough8(2)
2005–2007Bury29(2)
2007–2008Northwich Victoria4(0)
2008–2009Farsley Celtic15(6)
2009Droylsden16(5)
2009–2010Mansfield Town33(17)
2010–2011Bradford City27(3)
2010→ Port Vale (loan)4(1)
2011–2012Wrexham38(21)
2012–2014Mansfield Town27(7)
2013–2014→ Alfreton Town (loan)4(3)
2014–Harrogate Town22(2)
2015–→ Alfreton Town (loan)0(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18:16, 20 March 2015 (UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).

Jake Carl Speight (born 28 September 1985) is an English football striker who plays for Conference Premier club Alfreton Town, on loan from Conference North side Harrogate Town.

Starting his career working through the Sheffield United youth team, in 2005 he signed with Scarborough, and later Bury. He dropped down to Conference football between 2007 and 2010, playing for Northwich Victoria, Farsley Celtic, Droylsden, and Mansfield Town. In 2010 he was signed by Bradford City, and was quickly sent out on loan to Port Vale, before signing permanently for Wrexham the following year. He returned to Mansfield Town in July 2012, and helped the club to the Conference Premier title in 2012–13. He was loaned out to Alfreton Town in October 2013. He signed with Harrogate Town in July 2014. He returned to Alfreton Town on loan in March 2015.

Playing career

Early career

Speight began his career at Sheffield United, and was loaned out to Conference Premier side Leigh RMI in March 2005 to gain experience, along with Colin Marrison.[1] Leigh were relegated, and Speight did not make it onto the pitch. He joined Scarborough on work experience in August 2005,[2] scoring in both his first two appearances for the club, and impressing manager Nick Henry.[3] He was allowed to join the "Seadogs" permanently, and therefore never made an appearance for the "Blades".[4] Three months later he switched to Bury, of League Two.[5] On 13 January 2006, he scored his first and second league goals, in a 3–2 victory over Torquay United.[6] He finished the season with two goals in seventeen appearances. He made another seventeen appearances for Bury in 2006–07, mostly as a substitute, and failed to find the net all season. He was released by the club in June 2007.

Following his release from Bury, Speight dropped back into non-league football, signing for Northwich Victoria.[7] He joined Conference North club Farsley Celtic in the summer of 2008, and then moved to Droylsden in March 2009. In May 2009, Speight joined Mansfield Town.[8] He played 33 games, and scored 17 goals, becoming the club's top scorer despite having made most of his appearances as a substitute.[9]

Bradford City

In June 2010, Bradford City bought Speight for £25,000, offering the player a two-year contract.[10] "Stags" fans were disappointed at the fee, many had expected it to be much higher.[11] He started his spell with his new club by receiving a jail sentence for assault – without having informed the club beforehand that he had a court case.[12] His work rate on the pitch made him popular with supporters,[13] but he found just one goal in twelve appearances.[14] On 29 October 2010 he joined League Two promotion chasers Port Vale on a one-month loan.[15] Manager Micky Adams had looked to sign the player permanently before he went to Bradford.[16] His appearance in a goalless draw at the Pirelli Stadium with Burton Albion on 2 November 2010 earned Speight the honour of being the 1,000th player to play for Port Vale in the Football League.[17] After scoring in a 5–0 win over Stockport County, Speight's loan spell was extended for a second month.[18] He returned to Bradford in the new year.[19]

Wrexham

In June 2011, he signed a two-year contract with Conference side Wrexham for an undisclosed fee.[20] Manager Dean Saunders hoped he would prove an adequate replacement for outgoing striker Andrew Mangan.[21] After failing to score in his first four games, he opened his goal account for the "Reds" with a hat-trick over Alfreton Town in a 4–1 win at North Street.[22] From 30 November to 18 February he scored in seven out of eight league appearances, and from 10 March to 14 April he hit seven goals in six games. He ended the season with 21 goals in 38 Conference games to become Wrexham's top scorer and the sixth most prolific scorer in the Conference. Wrexham picked up 98 points and finished second, but failed to win promotion after losing to Luton Town in the play-offs. His record led to him becoming a target of Lincoln City manager David Holdsworth.[23]

Mansfield Town

Speight re-joined former club Mansfield Town in July 2012 for an undisclosed fee.[24] He had requested the transfer so as to be closer to his Sheffield home.[25] He scored twice in his first game back at Field Mill, in a 4–3 defeat to Newport County.[26] Mansfield won promotion into the Football League as Conference champions in 2012–13, though Speight missed the second half of the campaign after damaging cartilage in his knee.[27]

In October 2013, he joined Alfreton Town on a one-month loan deal.[28] He scored four goals in five games for the "Reds", and manager Nicky Law was disappointed when his loan spell at North Street was cut short by Mansfield the following month.[29] However he picked up a serious knee injury mid-way through the 2013–14 season and was ruled out of action until late March.[30] Speight was released by Mansfield manager Paul Cox at the end of the 2013–14 season.[31]

Harrogate Town

In July 2014, Speight dropped down two divisions to the Conference North to join Harrogate Town in a move that reunited him with manager Simon Weaver, his former teammate at Scarborough.[32] He was unable to take part in pre-season training due to injury.[33] On 20 March 2015, Speight re-joined Alfreton Town on a loan deal keeping him at the club until the end of the 2014–15 season.[34]

Personal life

In February 2010, Speight assaulted his girlfriend of two years Kathy Mugglestone, after she drove him to hospital.[35] Speight received a 12-week jail sentence in July 2010 after pleading guilty to the assault. He had failed to inform Bradford's manager, Peter Taylor, or his previous club, Mansfield, of the charges against him which only came to light following his court appearance.[36] Speight appealed against his sentence a week later and he was released from prison; a Crown Court judge ordered his sentence to be suspended for 18 months and that Speight conduct 100 hours of community work.[37]

Statistics

As of 3 May 2014.
Season Club Division League FA Cup League Cup Other[38] Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
2004–05Sheffield UnitedChampionship0000000000
2004–05Leigh RMI (loan)Conference Premier0000000000
Total 0000000000
2005–06[39]ScarboroughConference Premier8200000082
Total 8200000082
2005–06[39]BuryLeague Two172000000172
2006–07[40]120400010170
Total 292400010342
2007–08[41]Northwich VictoriaConference Premier4000000040
Total 4000000040
2008–09Farsley CelticConference North156000000156
Total 156000000156
2008–09DroylsdenConference North165000000165
Total 165000000165
2009–10[42]Mansfield TownConference Premier33172000003517
Total 33172000003517
2010–11[43]Bradford CityLeague Two284002110315
2010–11[43]Port Vale (loan)League Two4100000041
Total 284002110315
2011–12[44]WrexhamConference Premier38214000104321
Total 38214000104321
2012–13[45]Mansfield TownConference Premier196200000216
2013–14[46]League Two101001000111
2013–14[46]Alfreton Town (loan)Conference Premier4311000054
Total 297201000327
2014–15[47]Harrogate TownConference North222000000222
2014–15[48]Alfreton Town (loan)Conference Premier0000000000
Total 222000000222
Career total 23070131313024972

Honours

with Mansfield Town

References

  1. ↑ "Leigh snap up trio of youngsters". BBC Sport. 11 March 2005. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
  2. ↑ "Seasiders sign Blades midfielder". BBC Sport. 19 August 2005. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
  3. ↑ "Seasiders hope to tie up Speight". BBC Sport. 30 August 2005. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
  4. ↑ "Speight earns deal with Seadogs". BBC Sport. 31 August 2005. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
  5. ↑ "Boro's Speight makes Bury switch". BBC Sport. 24 November 2005. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
  6. ↑ "Bury 3-2 Torquay". BBC Sport. 13 January 2006. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
  7. ↑ "Northwich snap up ex-Bury striker". BBC Sport. 27 June 2007. Retrieved 1 July 2007.
  8. ↑ "Holdsworth rebuilds for new term". BBC Sport. 11 May 2009. Retrieved 11 May 2009.
  9. ↑ "Mansfield Town offer new contract to Jake Speight". BBC Sport. 19 May 2010. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
  10. ↑ "Bradford City sign Mansfield Town striker Jake Speight". BBC Sport. 30 June 2010. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
  11. ↑ "Stags chairman explains reasons for £25,000 sale of striker Speight". Nottingham Post. 2 July 2010. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
  12. ↑ "Jake Speight". bradfordcityfc.co.uk. 13 July 2010. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
  13. ↑ "Speight loaned to Port Vale". bradfordcityfc.co.uk. 29 October 2010. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
  14. ↑ "Breaking News: Port Vale sign Jake Speight on loan". The Sentinel. 29 October 2010. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
  15. ↑ "Bradford City's Jake Speight joins Port Vale on loan". BBC Sport. 29 October 2010. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
  16. ↑ Shaw, Steve; Spinks, Martin (30 October 2010). "Port Vale: Adams captures Jake Speight at second attempt". The Sentinel. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
  17. ↑ Shaw, Steve (3 November 2010). "Port Vale: Boss Micky Adams happy with away-day point at Burton". The Sentinel. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
  18. ↑ Owen, Jon (25 November 2010). "Port Vale: There's nothing sub-standard about my team, says Adams". The Sentinel. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
  19. ↑ "Jake Speight Departs". www.port-vale.co.uk. 4 January 2011. Retrieved 5 January 2011.
  20. ↑ "Jake Speight joins Wrexham from Bradford City". BBC Sport. 9 June 2011. Retrieved 14 June 2011.
  21. ↑ "Wrexham's Dean Saunders backs Jake Speight goal touch". BBC Sport. 9 June 2011. Retrieved 14 June 2011.
  22. ↑ "Alfreton Town 1-4 Wrexham". BBC Sport. 27 August 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
  23. ↑ "David Holdsworth targets Lincoln City move for Wrexham striker Jake Speight". Lincolnshire Echo. 19 April 2012. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  24. ↑ "Jake Speight re-joins Mansfield Town from Wrexham". BBC Sport. 5 July 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  25. ↑ "Striker Jake Speight requests transfer from Wrexham". BBC Sport. 3 July 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  26. ↑ "Newport County got the new season off to a flying start with a win at promotion hopefuls Mansfield Town". BBC Sport. 11 August 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  27. ↑ "Stags striker Jake Speight is ruled out for the season". Mansfield and Ashfield Chad. 17 January 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  28. ↑ "Jake Speight: Mansfield Town striker joins Alfreton on loan". BBC Sport. 11 October 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
  29. ↑ "Alfreton Town: Nicky Law says Jake Speight recall is a blow". BBC Sport. 19 November 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  30. ↑ "Mansfield Town hoping on double striker injury boost". Chad. 22 March 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  31. ↑ "Six players offered new deals at One Call Stadium…". mansfieldtown.net.
  32. ↑ White, Ed (1 July 2014). "Harrogate Town agree terms with Mansfield Town’s Jake Speight". Harrogate Advertiser. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  33. ↑ White, Ed (20 March 2015). "Harrogate Town striker Jake Speight joins Alfreton Town on loan". Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  34. ↑ "Jake Speight: Alfreton Town sign Harrogate striker". BBC Sport. 20 March 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  35. ↑ Corke, Jonathan (25 July 2010). "Bradford City striker Jake Speight beat girlfriend but freed after appeal". Daily Star. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  36. ↑ "BBC Sport — Football — Bradford City striker Jake Speight jailed for 12 weeks". BBC News. 13 July 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  37. ↑ "Speight to return to training". Yahoo Sport. 17 July 2010. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
  38. ↑ Includes other competitive competitions, including the Football League Trophy.
  39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 "Games played by Jake Speight in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
  40. ↑ "Games played by Jake Speight in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
  41. ↑ "Games played by Jake Speight in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
  42. ↑ "Games played by Jake Speight in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
  43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 "Games played by Jake Speight in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
  44. ↑ "Games played by Jake Speight in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
  45. ↑ "Games played by Jake Speight in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  46. ↑ 46.0 46.1 "Games played by Jake Speight in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  47. ↑ Jake Speight profile at Soccerway
  48. ↑ "Games played by Jake Speight in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Retrieved 5 September 2012.

External links