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Jack Stevens (footballer, born 1997)

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Jack Stevens
Stevens playing for Port Vale (August 2022)
Personal information
Full name Jack Alexander Stevens[1]
Date of birth (1997-08-02) 2 August 1997 (age 27)[2]
Place of birth Ealing, England[3][4]
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Cambridge United
Number 1
Youth career
Chelsea
Barnet
2013–2014 Reading
2014–2016 Oxford United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2023 Oxford United 65 (0)
2016 → Cirencester Town (loan) 2 (0)
2016 → Oxford City (loan) 17 (0)
2017–2018 → Oxford City (loan) 19 (0)
2018 → Tamworth (loan) 15 (0)
2022–2023 → Port Vale (loan) 27 (0)
2023– Cambridge United 33 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12:45, 17 March 2024 (UTC)

Jack Alexander Stevens (born 2 August 1997) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for EFL League One club Cambridge United.

Stevens spent time in the youth teams at Chelsea, Barnet and Reading before turning professional at Oxford United in April 2016. He was loaned out to Cirencester Town, Tamworth and Port Vale. He left Oxford and joined Cambridge United in June 2023.

Career

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Early career

[edit]

Stevens spent time in the youth teams at Chelsea and Barnet but was rejected by both clubs due to his small stature.[5] He attended the John Madejski Academy, a school associated with Reading.[6]

Oxford United

[edit]

Stevens underwent a growth spurt and joined the youth team at Oxford United in 2014 before being given a 12-month professional contract in April 2016.[5] Manager Michael Appleton said that he had "worked very hard".[7] This followed from a brief youth loan spell at Southern League Premier Division club Cirencester Town, where he made his senior debut in a 2–0 defeat at King's Lynn Town on 23 January 2016, and also played in a 5–2 home defeat to St. Neots Town seven days later.[8]

On 5 August 2016, Stevens joined Oxford City of the National League South on a youth loan deal.[9] He played seventeen games before being recalled on 11 November to provide cover at United whilst Benjamin Büchel was on international duty.[10] On 24 August 2017, Stevens returned to Oxford City on loan after manager Pep Clotet brought in Scott Shearer to act as backup to Simon Eastwood.[11][12] He played nineteen league and three FA Cup games, before being recalled from his loan on 9 January due after Eastwood picked up an injury.[13] He was an unused substitute in the 2017 final of the EFL Trophy at Wembley Stadium, where Oxford were beaten 2–1 by Coventry City.[14]

On 19 January 2018, Stevens joined Tamworth on a one-month loan deal.[15] In March 2018, Stevens signed a new contract with Oxford United to keep him at the club until the summer of 2019; caretaker manager Derek Fazackerley described him as "very much as one for the future".[16] He played fifteen National League North matches as Tamworth were relegated in 21st-place.[17]

He made his debut for Oxford United in a 2–1 win over Charlton Athletic on 19 April 2019, coming on as a substitute in the 54th minute after Eastwood had been sent off; the Oxford United website described how he made a "miracle save" as the game drew to a close.[18] He started the 3–2 win at Shrewsbury Town three days later, before dropping to the bench as Eastwood was restored to the starting eleven.[19] He signed a one-year contract extension in March 2020 after impressing towards the end of the 2019–20 season.[20]

Stevens earned a start against Ipswich Town at the Kassam Stadium on 1 December 2020 and kept a clean sheet in a 0–0 draw.[21] On 2 April 2021, police were called to the Stadium of Light after Stevens was allegedly headbutted at half-time during Oxford United's 3–1 defeat to Sunderland.[22] The club later confirmed that they would not be pursuing further police action.[23] He ended the 2020–21 season with 40 appearances to his name, helping Oxford to a sixth-place finish and a play-off semi-final defeat to Blackpool.[24] He was named as the club's Young Player of the Year.[25] He featured 30 times in the 2021–22 campaign as Oxford posted an eighth-place finish.[17] He missed three months of the season after suffering a severe bout of glandular fever.[26]

On 11 August 2022, Stevens signed a contract extension with Oxford United until the summer of 2025.[27] The same day, he was loaned to League One rivals Port Vale until the end of the 2022–23 season, as United manager Karl Robinson looked to play new signing Edward McGinty.[28] Vale manager Darrell Clarke started Stevens ahead of the club's number one Aidan Stone in the goalless draw with Bolton Wanderers at Vale Park just two days later.[29] Stevens remained the preferred choice in goal until he was dropped in February, and then in a surprise appearance on Good Friday he dropped the ball into his own net in a 3–0 defeat at Accrington Stanley.[30]

Cambridge United

[edit]

On 21 June 2023, Stevens signed a two-year deal with League One side Cambridge United after being transferred from Oxford on a free transfer plus sell-on clause; he was manager Mark Bonner's first signing of the summer.[31][32] Speaking in November, he said he was "loving life" at the Abbey Stadium after keeping six clean sheets in eight games.[33] He played 36 games before he ended the 2023–24 season at the end of March having been sidelined with a hamstring injury.[34][35]

Stevens lost his place in the starting eleven to loan-signing Vicente Reyes at the start of the 2024–25 season.[36]

Career statistics

[edit]
As of match played 5 November 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Oxford United 2015–16[37] League Two 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2016–17[38] League One 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2017–18[39] League One 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2018–19[40] League One 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
2019–20[41] League One 0 0 0 0 0 0 3[a] 0 3 0
2020–21[42] League One 33 0 1 0 1 0 5[b] 0 40 0
2021–22[43] League One 30 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 30 0
2022–23[44] League One 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 65 0 1 0 1 0 8 0 75 0
Cirencester Town (loan) 2015–16[8] Southern League
Premier Division 		2 0 0 0 – 0 0 2 0
Oxford City (loan) 2016–17[17] National League South 17 0 0 0 – 0 0 17 0
2017–18[17] National League South 19 0 3 0 – 0 0 22 0
Total 36 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 39 0
Tamworth (loan) 2017–18[17] National League North 15 0 0 0 – 0 0 15 0
Port Vale (loan) 2022–23[44] League One 27 0 0 0 0 0 1[a] 0 28 0
Cambridge United 2023–24[34] League One 33 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 36 0
2024–25[45] League One 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 0
Total 33 0 3 0 1 0 2 0 39 0
Career total 178 0 7 0 2 0 11 0 198 0
  1. ^ a b Appearance(s) in the EFL Trophy
  2. ^ Two appearances in League One play-offs, three appearances in EFL Trophy

Honours

[edit]

Oxford United

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "EFL Released and Retained List 2016–17" (PDF). English Football League. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Jack Stevens". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  3. ^ Fielding, Rob (11 August 2022). "Port Vale sign goalkeeper on loan". onevalefan.co.uk. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  4. ^ Mounteney, Luke (11 August 2022). "Jack Stevens joins the Vale on loan". Port Vale F.C. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  5. ^ a b Pritchard, David (31 May 2016). "Oxford United youngsters Jack Stevens and Miles Welch-Hayes sign professional contracts". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  6. ^ Roberts, James (19 November 2021). "Youth coach recalls first impressions of Jack Stevens and Shandon Baptiste". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  7. ^ "Miles and Jack Sign For the U's". www.oufc.co.uk. 31 May 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Jack Stevens Profile | Aylesbury United FC". www.aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  9. ^ "Cundy and Stevens Join City On Loan". oufc.co.uk. Oxford United F.C. 5 August 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  10. ^ "Jack's Back". oufc.co.uk. Oxford United F.C. 11 November 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  11. ^ "Stevens Joins Oxford City on Loan". oufc.co.uk. Oxford United F.C. 24 August 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  12. ^ Pritchard, David (24 August 2017). "Oxford United loan out Jack Stevens and Malachi Napa". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  13. ^ "Keeper Stevens Recalled From Loan". oufc.co.uk. Oxford United F.C. 9 January 2018. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  14. ^ Scott, Ged (2 April 2017). "EFL Trophy final: Coventry 2-1 Oxford". BBC Sport. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  15. ^ "Jack Stevens Joins Tamworth On Loan". oufc.co.uk. Oxford United F.C. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  16. ^ "Jack Stevens Signs New Deal". oufc.co.uk. Oxford United F.C. 5 March 2018. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  17. ^ a b c d e f Jack Stevens at Soccerway
  18. ^ "REPORT Oxford United 2 Charlton Athletic 1". www.oufc.co.uk.
  19. ^ "Shrewsbury Town 2-3 Oxford United". BBC Sport. 22 April 2019. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  20. ^ "Jack Stevens Signs New Deal". www.oufc.co.uk. 23 March 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  21. ^ "Oxford 0-0 Ipswich: Goalless at the Kassam Stadium". Sky Sports. 1 December 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  22. ^ "Robinson claims Oxford keeper headbutted". BBC Sport. 2 April 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  23. ^ Roberts, James (4 April 2021). "Oxford United will not involve police over Jack Stevens 'headbutt' - here's what happens next". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  24. ^ "Blackpool 3-3 Oxford (Agg: 6-3): Tangerines progress to play-off final after enthralling draw". Sky Sports. 22 May 2021. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  25. ^ Roberts, James (11 August 2022). "Oxford United goalkeeper signs new contract - and goes out on loan". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  26. ^ Roberts, James (28 January 2022). "Jack Stevens opens up on the 'toughest time' of his career". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  27. ^ "Port Vale sign Harrison and Stevens". BBC Sport. 11 August 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  28. ^ "Jack Stevens Joins Port Vale On Loan". Oxford United FC. 11 August 2022. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  29. ^ Baggaley, Michael (13 August 2022). "Darrell Clarke message to Aidan Stone as keeper loses Port Vale spot". StokeonTrentLive. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  30. ^ Baggaley, Michael (7 April 2023). "Port Vale player ratings from woeful defeat at Accrington". StokeonTrentLive. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  31. ^ "Cambridge sign Oxford goalkeeper Stevens". BBC Sport. 21 June 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  32. ^ "Jack Stevens becomes first summer signing". www.cambridge-united.co.uk. 21 June 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  33. ^ Apicella, Liam (10 November 2023). "Goalkeeper 'loving life' at the Abbey Stadium". Cambridge Independent. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  34. ^ a b "Games played by Jack Stephens in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  35. ^ Apicella, Liam (28 March 2024). "United goalkeeper sidelined by hamstring injury". Cambridge Independent. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  36. ^ Baggaley, Mike (19 September 2024). "Heading in the right direction". Valiant's Substack. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  37. ^ "Games played by Jack Stephens in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  38. ^ "Games played by Jack Stephens in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  39. ^ "Games played by Jack Stephens in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  40. ^ "Games played by Jack Stephens in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  41. ^ "Games played by Jack Stephens in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  42. ^ "Games played by Jack Stephens in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  43. ^ "Games played by Jack Stephens in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  44. ^ a b "Games played by Jack Stephens in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  45. ^ "Games played by Jack Stephens in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
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