Luke Wilkinson

Luke Wilkinson

Wilkinson playing for Dagenham & Redbridge in 2014
Personal information
Full nameLuke Alexander Wilkinson[1]
Date of birth29 September 1990[2]
Place of birthWells, England
Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[3]
Playing positionDefender
Club information
Current team
Luton Town
Number30
Youth career
2007–2009Bristol City
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2009–2010Portsmouth0(0)
2010→ Northampton Town (loan)0(0)
2010→ Eastleigh (loan)6(1)
2010–2014Dagenham & Redbridge65(6)
2010–2011→ Boreham Wood (loan)26(1)
2011–2012→ Boreham Wood (loan)23(3)
2012→ Dartford (loan)14(4)
2014–Luton Town25(4)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18:47, 3 February 2015 (UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).

Luke Alexander Wilkinson (born 29 September 1990) is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Luton Town.

Wilkinson started his career in the youth team at Bristol City but was released early from his scholarship in 2009. He subsequently joined Premier League side Portsmouth, where he was loaned out to Football League Two side Northampton Town and Conference South team Eastleigh. After his release from Portsmouth in 2010, he signed for Football League One side Dagenham & Redbridge on a three-year contract. He was loaned out for the first two seasons to non-league sides Boreham Wood and Dartford, where he won promotion to the Conference Premier via the play-offs with the latter. After breaking into the first team at Dagenham, he signed a new 2 1⁄2-year contract in December 2012, later going on to win the Player of the Year award. He signed for Football League Two club Luton Town in the summer of 2014 for an undisclosed fee.

Career

Wilkinson was born in Wells, Somerset.[2] He started his career in the youth system of Bristol City and was offered a two-year scholarship in June 2007.[4] He was part of the side that competed in the Premier Academy League.[4] He was released early from his contract in 2009 and was offered a trial by Premier League side Portsmouth.[5] He played in a reserve game against Fulham, in which first-team manager Paul Hart described as the most impressive debut he had seen from any young player.[5] The reserves remained unbeaten with Wilkinson in defence until the end of the season.[5] His outstanding form for the reserves earned him a professional contract in July 2009.[5] In January 2010, he joined Football League Two side Northampton Town on a one-month loan, however, he failed to make an appearance for the club.[6] In February 2012, he joined Conference South side Eastleigh on an initial one-month loan, which was later extended until the end of the season.[7]

In the summer of 2010 he was released by Portsmouth and joined newly promoted Football League One side Dagenham & Redbridge on a three-year contract.[8] In November 2010, he joined Conference South side Boreham Wood on an initial one-month loan, making his debut against Dover Athletic.[9] The loan was then extended until the end of the season, with Wilkinson making 28 appearances and scoring once. He rejoined Boreham Wood in August 2011 on a five-month loan.[10] He was a mainstay in the team, making 25 appearances, before returning to the Daggers in January. In February 2012, he joined fellow Conference South side Dartford on loan. In March 2012, his loan was extended until the end of the season after scoring two headers in wins over Havant & Waterlooville and Sutton United.[11] He claimed his first piece of silverware as Dartford were promoted to the Conference Premier via their play-off win over Welling United.

Wilkinson started the 2012–13 season as a first team player at Dagenham and made his professional debut in September 2012, in a 2–2 draw with AFC Wimbledon.[12] He cemented his place in the first team by scoring four goals, which prompted Daggers manager John Still to offer him a new contract until 2015.[13] He went on to make 46 appearances in all competitions and won the club's Player of the Year award.[14] This led to reported interest from Premier League sides Aston Villa and Norwich City.[14] However, no move materialised and Wilkinson admitted that he needed another few years to develop as a player before making the step up.[15]

Wilkinson's start to the 2013–14 season was delayed by a groin injury picked up in pre-season, before making his return at the end of August in a 3–0 defeat to Mansfield Town.[16] He went on to make 25 appearances but a combination of further injuries, the form of Scott Doe and Brian Saah, and the late emergence of Ian Gayle, resigned Wilkinson to the bench for the majority of the season.[16] In May 2014, he was placed on the transfer list at his own request and his name was circulated to other clubs highlighting his availability.[16] In June 2014, he stated he was happy to fight for his place if a move away from the club didn't materialise.[15] On 7 July 2014, Wilkinson was transferred to League Two club Luton Town, managed by his former Dagenham manager John Still, for an undisclosed fee.[17] He signed a one-year contract with the club.

Career statistics

As of match played 18 October 2014.
Club statistics
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Eastleigh (loan) 2009–10[18] Conference South 6100—0061
Boreham Wood (loan) 2010–11[19] Conference South 26100—2[lower-alpha 1]0281
2011–12[20] Conference South 23310—1[lower-alpha 1]0253
Total 49410—30534
Dartford (loan) 2011–12[21] Conference South 14400—4[lower-alpha 2]0184
Dagenham & Redbridge 2012–13[22] League Two 43610002[lower-alpha 3]0466
2013–14[23] League Two 22010002[lower-alpha 3]0250
Total 656200040716
Luton Town 2014–15[24] League Two 25440101[lower-alpha 3]0314
Career totals 15919701012018919
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Appearance in FA Trophy
  2. ↑ One appearance in Kent Senior Cup, three in Conference South play-offs
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Appearances in Football League Trophy

Honours

Dartford

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/07/2010 and 31/07/2010" (PDF). The Football Association. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Brown, Tony; Joyce, Michael; Longbottom, David, eds. (2013). English National Football Archive Yearbook 2013. Tony Brown. ISBN 978-1-905891-62-7.
  3. ↑ Rollin, Glenda; Rollin, Jack, eds. (2012). Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2012–2013 (43rd ed.). London: Headline. p. 474. ISBN 978-0-7553-6356-8.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Eight Youngsters Handed Deals". Vital Football. 7 June 2007. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "Wilkinson goes south". This is Somerset. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  6. ↑ "Northampton sign Luke Wilkinson and Stephen O'Flynn". BBC. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  7. ↑ "Sacrificial lambs – Tessem and Day depart. Goodhind to return?". Eastleigh FC. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  8. ↑ "Dagenham & Redbridge sign Luke Wilkinson". BBC. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  9. ↑ "Player profile". Boreham Wood FC. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  10. ↑ "Daggers profile". Dagenham & Redbridge F.C. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  11. ↑ "Dartford extend the loan of defender Luke Wilkinson". BBC. 22 March 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  12. ↑ "Wimbledon 2–2 Dagenham". BBC. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  13. ↑ "Luke Wilkinson Signs Contract Extension". Dagenham & Redbridge F.C. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 "Villa, Norwich eyeing Dagenham & Redbridge defender Luke Wilkinson". Tribal Football. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Wilkinson needs more experience but is aware of transfer rumours". Barking & Dagenham Post. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 "Daggers defender transfer listed – at his own request". Barking & Dagenham Post. 28 May 2014. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  17. ↑ "Luke Wilkinson: Luton Town sign defender from Dagenham". BBC. 7 July 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  18. ↑ "Eastleigh 2009/2010 player appearances". Soccerway. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
  19. ↑ "Boreham Wood 2010/2011 player appearances". Boreham Wood. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
  20. ↑ "Boreham Wood 2011/2012 player appearances". Soccerway. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
  21. ↑ "Dartford 2011/2012 player appearances". Soccerway. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
  22. ↑ "Dag & Red 2012/2013 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
  23. ↑ "Dag & Red 2013/2014 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
  24. ↑ "Games played by Luke Wilkinson in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Retrieved 21 October 2014.

External links

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