Oliver Pendlebury

Oliver Pendlebury
Personal information
Full name Oliver Jack Pendlebury[1]
Date of birth (2002-01-19) 19 January 2002 (age 22)
Place of birth Maidenhead, England
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Farnborough
Number 15
Youth career
Marlow
–2020 Reading
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020–2021 Reading 1 (0)
2021–2022 Wycombe Wanderers 9 (2)
2022 → Woking (loan) 4 (0)
2022–2023 Farnborough 13 (3)
2023 Aldershot Town 17 (1)
2023 Ayr United 6 (2)
2023– Farnborough 55 (9)
International career
England U15
England U16
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:02, 24 November 2024 (UTC)

Oliver Jack Pendlebury (born 19 January 2002) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for National League South club Farnborough.

After playing youth football for Marlow and Reading, he made his senior debut for Reading in the FA Cup in January 2021. He was released by Reading at the end of the season and signed for EFL League One club Wycombe Wanderers. After a season at the club and a loan spell at Woking, he was released the following year. Following his release from Wycombe, Pendlebury joined Farnborough in September 2022. This spell ultimately proved to be brief with the midfielder joining Aldershot Town in January 2023 before a move to Scottish Championship side, Ayr United ahead of the 2023–24 campaign, but left Ayr in August 2023, citing 'personal reasons'. He returned to Farnborough later that month.

Early life and education

Born in Maidenhead,[3] Pendlebury attended Altwood Church of England School in Maidenhead.[4]

Club career

Having played youth football for Marlow before joining Reading's academy,[5] he signed his first professional contract with Reading in January 2019.[6] He was named in the starting line-up for his senior debut in an FA Cup third round tie with Luton Town on 9 January 2021, where Reading lost 1–0.[7][4] On 11 May 2021, Reading announced that Pendlebury was one of their players being released by the club at the end of the 2020–21 season when their contract expired.[8]

On 8 June 2021, EFL League One club Wycombe Wanderers announced that Pendlebury would sign for them on 1 July 2021, once his Reading contract had expired.[9][10] He made his debut for the club in their opening match of the season against Accrington Stanley on 7 August 2021 with fellow midfielders Dominic Gape, Curtis Thompson and David Wheeler unavailable; Wycombe won 2–1 with manager Gareth Ainsworth stating that after the game that he is "not afraid in giving young kids their debuts" in response to Pendlebury's performance.[11] He scored the first goals of his career the following week when he scored a second-half brace in a 3–1 win over Cheltenham Town.[12] On 4 March 2022, Pendlebury joined National League side, Woking on loan for the remainder of the 2021–22 campaign.[13] He went onto feature four times for the Cards before being recalled by his parent club a month later.[14] He was released by Wycombe at the end of the season.[15]

On 3 September 2022, Pendlebury joined National League South club Farnborough on a short-term deal.[16] That same day he made his debut during a 1–0 victory over Cheshunt.[17]

In January 2023, Pendlebury signed for National League club Aldershot Town on a deal until the end of the season.[18]

On 24 June 2023, following his release from Aldershot, Pendlebury agreed to join Scottish Championship side, Ayr United with fellow team-mate, Francis Amartey.[19] On 30 August 2023, he left the club after asking to be released from his contract for 'personal reasons'.[20]

Later that month, he returned to Farnborough.[21]

International career

He represented England at both under-15 level and under-16 level, captaining the latter.[22][21]

Career statistics

As of match played 23 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
Reading 2020–21[23] Championship 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Wycombe Wanderers 2021–22[24] League One 4 2 0 0 2 0 3[a] 0 9 2
Woking (loan) 2021–22[24] National League 4 0 — — — 4 0
Farnborough 2022–23[3] National League South 13 2 2 1 — 2[b] 0 17 3
Aldershot Town 2022–23[25] National League 17 1 — — — 17 1
Ayr United 2023–24[3] Scottish Championship 2 1 0 0 4 0 0 0 6 1
Farnborough 2023–24[3][26] National League South 38 8 3 0 — 1[b] 0 42 8
2024–25[3][27] National League South 17 1 1 0 — 1[b] 0 19 1
Total 55 9 4 0 — 2 0 61 9
Career total 95 15 7 1 6 0 7 0 115 16
  1. ^ Appearance in the EFL Trophy
  2. ^ a b c Appearances in the FA Trophy

References

  1. ^ "Club list of registered players: As at 18th May 2019: Reading" (PDF). English Football League. p. 30. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  2. ^ "Oli Pendlebury". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e "O. Pendlebury: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  4. ^ a b Browne, Joshua (14 January 2021). "Ex-Maidenhead school boys start for Royals in FA Cup clash with Luton". Maidenhead Advertiser. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  5. ^ Deasley, Jack. "Oli Pendlebury". wycombewanderers.co.uk. Wycombe Wanderers F.C. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  6. ^ "Pendlebury puts pen to paper on his first professional deal". readingfc.co.uk. Reading F.C. 21 January 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Team news | Youngsters given a chance to shine in the FA Cup". readingfc.co.uk. Reading F.C. 9 January 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  8. ^ "Contracts offered, clauses triggered, loans end and best wishes issued for those set for pastures new…". readingfc.co.uk. Reading F.C. 11 May 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  9. ^ "Olly is first summer signing". wycombewanderers.co.uk. Wycombe Wanderers F.C. 8 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  10. ^ Folker, Robert (8 June 2021). "Former Reading FC youngster becomes Wycombe's first summer signing". Bucks Free Press. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  11. ^ Richings, James (7 August 2021). "Gareth Ainsworth on debuts, performance and the season ahead following Accrington Stanley win". Bucks Free Press. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  12. ^ "Cheltenham 1–3 Wycombe: Oliver Pendlebury double fires Chairboys to victory". Sky Sports. 14 August 2021. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  13. ^ O'Sullivan, Daniel (4 March 2022). "Pendlebury Signs On Loan". Woking F.C. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  14. ^ Woking F.C. [@wokingfc] (13 April 2022). "Oliver Pendlebury has been recalled by @wwfcofficial from his loan spell. Thanks, Oli, and best of luck! 🤝" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  15. ^ Earnshaw, James (24 May 2022). "Reading FC Academy pair released by Gareth Ainsworth's Wycombe Wanderers". The Reading Chronicle. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  16. ^ "Farnborough FC on Twitter". Twitter. Farnborough F.C. 3 September 2022. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  17. ^ "Cheshunt vs. Farnborough". Soccerway. 3 September 2022. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  18. ^ "NEW SIGNING: Oliver Pendlebury". www.theshots.co.uk. 6 January 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  19. ^ Wilson, Stuart (24 June 2023). "Former England youth captain Olly Pendlebury bids to make mark in Scotland with Ayr United". Daily Record. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  20. ^ "Ayr midfielder leaves Somerset for 'personal reasons' - just two months after signing". 30 August 2023.
  21. ^ a b Lloyd, Dom (2 September 2023). "Pendlebury returns!". Farnborough F.C. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  22. ^ Low, Jonathan (6 January 2020). "A homegrown Reading team in 2030". BerkshireLive. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  23. ^ "Games played by Oliver Pendlebury in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  24. ^ a b "Games played by Oliver Pendlebury in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  25. ^ "Games played by Oliver Pendlebury in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  26. ^ "Farnborough – Appearances – Olly Pendlebury". Football Web Pages. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  27. ^ For FA Cup Second Qualifying Round: "Emirates FA Cup Second Qualifying Round – Walton & Hersham 2 - 1 Farnborough". Football Web Pages. 14 September 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2024.