Jake Speight
Encyclopedia
Jake Carl Speight is an English
football striker who plays for Conference
club Wrexham.
Starting his career working through the Sheffield United
youth team, in 2005 he signed with Scarborough
, and later Bury
. He dropp 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.
, and was loaned out to Conference National
side Leigh RMI in March 2005 to gain experience, along with Colin Marrison
. Leigh were relegated
, and Speight didn't make it onto the pitch.
He joined Scarborough
on work experience in August 2005, scoring in both his first two appearances for the club, and impressing manager Nick Henry
. He was allowed to join the "Seadogs" permanently, and therefore never made an appearance for the "Blades". Three months later he switched to Bury
, of League Two
. On 13 January 2006, he scored his first and second league
goals, in a 3–2 victory over Torquay United
. 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
.
He joined Conference North
club Farsley Celtic
in the summer of 2008, and then moved to Droylsden
in March 2009.
On 11 May 2009, Speight joined Mansfield. He played 33 games, and scored 17 goals, becoming the club's top scorer despite having made most of his appearances as a substitute.
In June 2010, Bradford City
bought Speight for £25,000, offering the player a two year contract. "Stags" fans were disappointed at the fee, many had expected it to be much higher. 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. His work rate on the pitch made him popular with supporters, but he found just one goal in twelve appearances. On 29 October 2010 he joined League Two promotion chasers Port Vale
on a one month loan. Manager Micky Adams
had looked to sign the player permanently before he went to Bradford. 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
. After scoring in a 5–0 win over Stockport County
, Speight's loan spell was extended for a second month. He returned to Bradford in the new year.
In June 2011, he signed a two year contract with Conference side Wrexham for an undisclosed fee. Manager Dean Saunders
hoped he would prove an adequate replacement for outgoing striker Andrew Mangan
. 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
.
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. 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
.
|2004–05||Sheffield United
||Championship
||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|2004–05||Leigh RMI||Conference
||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|2005–06||Scarborough
||Conference
||8||2||0||0||0||0||8||2
|-
|2005–06||Bury
||League Two
||17||2||0||0||0||0||17||2
|-
|2006–07||Bury
||League Two
||12||0||4||0||0||0||17||0
|-
|2007–08||Northwich Victoria
||Conference
||4||0||0||0||0||0||4||0
|-
|2008–09||Farsley Celtic
||Conference North
||15||6||0||0||0||0||15||6
|-
|2008–09||Droylsden
||Conference North
||16||5||0||0||0||0||16||5
|-
|2009–10
||Mansfield Town
||Conference
||33||17||2||0||0||0||35||17
|-
|2010–11
||Bradford City
||League Two
||24||2||0||0||2||1||13||1
|-
|2010–11
||Port Vale
||League Two
||4||1||0||0||0||0||4||1
|-
|2011–12
||Wrexham||Conference
||5||3||0||0||0||0||5||3
|-
138||38||6||0||2||1||146||39
138||38||6||0||2||1||146||39
Notes:
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
football striker who plays for Conference
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
club Wrexham.
Starting his career working through the Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
youth team, in 2005 he signed with Scarborough
Scarborough F.C.
Scarborough Football Club was an English football club based in the seaside resort of Scarborough, North Yorkshire. They were one of the oldest football clubs in England, formed in 1879, before they were wound up on 20 June 2007, with debts of £2.5 million.In the 2006–07 season...
, and later Bury
Bury F.C.
Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
. He dropp down to Conference football between 2007 and 2010, playing for Northwich Victoria
Northwich Victoria F.C.
Northwich Victoria Football Club are an English football club who play at the Victoria Stadium in Wincham, Northwich, Cheshire in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, the seventh tier of the English football league system.Northwich are an old club, founded in 1874 and named in honour of...
, Farsley Celtic
Farsley Celtic A.F.C.
Farsley Celtic Association Football Club was an English football club based in Farsley, in the City of Leeds. The club was known by the nicknames of the Villagers and the Celts; their colours were blue and white. Founded in 1908, the club spent their entire existence in non-league football, winning...
, Droylsden
Droylsden F.C.
Droylsden F.C. is an English football club based in Droylsden, near Manchester. As of the 2011–12 season, they play in the Conference North.-History:...
, and Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town F.C.
Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
. In 2010 he was signed by Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
, and was quickly sent out on loan to Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
, before signing permanently for Wrexham the following year.
Playing career
Speight began his career at Sheffield UnitedSheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
, and was loaned out to Conference National
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
side Leigh RMI in March 2005 to gain experience, along with Colin Marrison
Colin Marrison
Colin Ian Marrison is a professional footballer, currently playing for Matlock Town, where he plays as a striker.-Playing career:Marrison is a powerfully built but mobile centre-forward...
. Leigh were relegated
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
, and Speight didn't make it onto the pitch.
He joined Scarborough
Scarborough F.C.
Scarborough Football Club was an English football club based in the seaside resort of Scarborough, North Yorkshire. They were one of the oldest football clubs in England, formed in 1879, before they were wound up on 20 June 2007, with debts of £2.5 million.In the 2006–07 season...
on work experience in August 2005, scoring in both his first two appearances for the club, and impressing manager Nick Henry
Nick Henry
Nick Henry is a retired English footballer. He played as a midfielder, and spent most of his career at Oldham Athletic.- Oldham Athletic :...
. He was allowed to join the "Seadogs" permanently, and therefore never made an appearance for the "Blades". Three months later he switched to Bury
Bury F.C.
Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
, of League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
. On 13 January 2006, he scored his first and second league
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
goals, in a 3–2 victory over Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
. 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
Northwich Victoria F.C.
Northwich Victoria Football Club are an English football club who play at the Victoria Stadium in Wincham, Northwich, Cheshire in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, the seventh tier of the English football league system.Northwich are an old club, founded in 1874 and named in honour of...
.
He joined Conference North
Conference North
The Conference North also known as Blue Square Bet North for sponsorship reasons, is a division of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National. Along with Conference South it is at Step 2 of the National League System and the sixth overall tier of...
club Farsley Celtic
Farsley Celtic A.F.C.
Farsley Celtic Association Football Club was an English football club based in Farsley, in the City of Leeds. The club was known by the nicknames of the Villagers and the Celts; their colours were blue and white. Founded in 1908, the club spent their entire existence in non-league football, winning...
in the summer of 2008, and then moved to Droylsden
Droylsden F.C.
Droylsden F.C. is an English football club based in Droylsden, near Manchester. As of the 2011–12 season, they play in the Conference North.-History:...
in March 2009.
On 11 May 2009, Speight joined Mansfield. He played 33 games, and scored 17 goals, becoming the club's top scorer despite having made most of his appearances as a substitute.
In June 2010, Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
bought Speight for £25,000, offering the player a two year contract. "Stags" fans were disappointed at the fee, many had expected it to be much higher. 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. His work rate on the pitch made him popular with supporters, but he found just one goal in twelve appearances. On 29 October 2010 he joined League Two promotion chasers Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
on a one month loan. Manager Micky Adams
Micky Adams
Michael Richard "Micky" Adams is an English former professional footballer turned football manager who is in charge of League Two side Port Vale. As a player he was a full back, and made a total of 438 league appearances in a nineteen year professional career in the Football League, including five...
had looked to sign the player permanently before he went to Bradford. His appearance in a goalless draw at the Pirelli Stadium
Pirelli Stadium
The Pirelli Stadium is an association football stadium on Princess Way in Burton upon Trent, East Staffordshire, England. It was built in 2005 and is the current home of Burton Albion F.C., replacing the club's old Eton Park home, also on Princess Way, which was demolished and developed into housing...
with Burton Albion
Burton Albion F.C.
Burton Albion Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire. The club's home ground is the Pirelli Stadium, having moved from Eton Park in 2005...
on 2 November 2010 earned Speight the honour of being the 1,000th player to play for Port Vale in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
. After scoring in a 5–0 win over Stockport County
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
, Speight's loan spell was extended for a second month. He returned to Bradford in the new year.
In June 2011, he signed a two year contract with Conference side Wrexham for an undisclosed fee. Manager Dean Saunders
Dean Saunders
Dean Nicholas Saunders is a former Wales international footballer who played as a striker in a professional career which lasted from 1982 until 2001. He is the manager of Doncaster Rovers....
hoped he would prove an adequate replacement for outgoing striker Andrew Mangan
Andrew Mangan
Andrew Francis Mangan is an English footballer who plays for Fleetwood Town.-Blackpool:Born in Liverpool, Mangan began his education in football with Blackpool at the age of 15. He was there for three years scoring 49 goals all together in reserve and youth team football...
. After failing to score in his first four games, he opened his goal account for the "Reds" with a hat-trick over Alfreton Town
Alfreton Town F.C.
Alfreton Town F.C. is an English football club based in Alfreton, Derbyshire. The club was reformed after a merger between Alfreton Miners Welfare and Alfreton United in 1959...
in a 4–1 win at North Street
North Street (stadium)
North Street also known as the Impact Arena is a football stadium in Alfreton, Derbyshire. It is the home of Alfreton Town F.C. who currently play in the Conference National. Capacity is 3,600 with 1,500 seats....
.
Controversy
In February 2010, Speight assaulted his girlfriend of two years Kathy Mugglestone, after she drove him to hospital. Speight received a 12-week jail sentence in July 2010 after pleading guiltyPlea
In legal terms, a plea is simply an answer to a claim made by someone in a civil or criminal case under common law using the adversary system. Colloquially, a plea has come to mean the assertion by a criminal defendant at arraignment, or otherwise in response to a criminal charge, whether that...
to the assault
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
. 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. Speight appealed against his sentence a week later and he was released from prison; a Crown Court
Crown Court
The Crown Court of England and Wales is, together with the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal, one of the constituent parts of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
ordered his sentence to be suspended for 18 months and that Speight conduct 100 hours of community work
Community service
Community service is donated service or activity that is performed by someone or a group of people for the benefit of the public or its institutions....
.
Statistics
|-|2004–05||Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
||Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|2004–05||Leigh RMI||Conference
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|2005–06||Scarborough
Scarborough F.C.
Scarborough Football Club was an English football club based in the seaside resort of Scarborough, North Yorkshire. They were one of the oldest football clubs in England, formed in 1879, before they were wound up on 20 June 2007, with debts of £2.5 million.In the 2006–07 season...
||Conference
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
||8||2||0||0||0||0||8||2
|-
|2005–06||Bury
Bury F.C.
Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
||League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
||17||2||0||0||0||0||17||2
|-
|2006–07||Bury
Bury F.C.
Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
||League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
||12||0||4||0||0||0||17||0
|-
|2007–08||Northwich Victoria
Northwich Victoria F.C.
Northwich Victoria Football Club are an English football club who play at the Victoria Stadium in Wincham, Northwich, Cheshire in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, the seventh tier of the English football league system.Northwich are an old club, founded in 1874 and named in honour of...
||Conference
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
||4||0||0||0||0||0||4||0
|-
|2008–09||Farsley Celtic
Farsley Celtic A.F.C.
Farsley Celtic Association Football Club was an English football club based in Farsley, in the City of Leeds. The club was known by the nicknames of the Villagers and the Celts; their colours were blue and white. Founded in 1908, the club spent their entire existence in non-league football, winning...
||Conference North
Conference North
The Conference North also known as Blue Square Bet North for sponsorship reasons, is a division of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National. Along with Conference South it is at Step 2 of the National League System and the sixth overall tier of...
||15||6||0||0||0||0||15||6
|-
|2008–09||Droylsden
Droylsden F.C.
Droylsden F.C. is an English football club based in Droylsden, near Manchester. As of the 2011–12 season, they play in the Conference North.-History:...
||Conference North
Conference North
The Conference North also known as Blue Square Bet North for sponsorship reasons, is a division of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National. Along with Conference South it is at Step 2 of the National League System and the sixth overall tier of...
||16||5||0||0||0||0||16||5
|-
|2009–10
2009–10 Football Conference
The 2009–10 Football Conference season was the sixth season with the Conference consisting of three divisions, and the thirty-first season overall. The Conference covers the top two levels of Non-League football in England. The Conference National is the fifth highest level of the overall pyramid,...
||Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town F.C.
Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
||Conference
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
||33||17||2||0||0||0||35||17
|-
|2010–11
2010–11 Bradford City A.F.C. season
The 2010–11 season is the 108th season in Bradford City A.F.C.'s history, their 96th in the Football League and 98th in the league system of English football...
||Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
||League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
||24||2||0||0||2||1||13||1
|-
|2010–11
2010–11 Port Vale F.C. season
The 2010–11 season was Port Vale's ninety-ninth season of football in the Football League, and third successive season in League Two. Vale enjoyed a solid start to the campaign, looking like good prospects for promotion. However Micky Adams left the club in December to take charge of Sheffield...
||Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
||League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
||4||1||0||0||0||0||4||1
|-
|2011–12
2011–12 Football Conference
The 2011–12 Football Conference season will be the eighth season with the Conference consisting of three divisions and the thirty-third season overall. The Conference covers the top two levels of Non-League football in England. The Conference National is the fifth highest level of the overall...
||Wrexham||Conference
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
||5||3||0||0||0||0||5||3
|-
138||38||6||0||2||1||146||39
138||38||6||0||2||1||146||39
Notes:
- Football League TrophyFootball League TrophyThe Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
results included in totals.