Jeff Hughes (footballer)

For the American soccer player, see Jeff Hughes (soccer).

Jeff Hughes
Hughes playing for Fleetwood Town in 2013
Personal information
Full name Jeffrey Edward Hughes[1]
Date of birth (1985-05-29) 29 May 1985 (age 39)[2]
Place of birth Larne, Northern Ireland
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Larne (head of youth development phase)
Youth career
2001–2002 Ballymena United
2002–2003 Larne
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2005 Larne 47 (1)
2005–2007 Lincoln City 63 (8)
2007–2008 Crystal Palace 10 (0)
2007–2008 → Peterborough United (loan) 7 (1)
2008 → Bristol Rovers (loan) 0 (0)
2008–2011 Bristol Rovers 129 (28)
2011–2013 Notts County 89 (20)
2013–2015 Fleetwood Town 47 (4)
2015–2016 Cambridge United 9 (0)
2016 → Tranmere Rovers (loan) 18 (1)
2016–2018 Tranmere Rovers 76 (4)
2018–2023 Larne 90 (10)
Total 585 (77)
International career‡
2006 Northern Ireland U21[3] 7 (3)
2006 Northern Ireland[4] 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12:49 (UTC) 8 February 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12:49, 8 February 2023 (UTC)

Jeffrey Edward Hughes (born 29 May 1985) is a retired Northern Irish footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. He has also played internationally for Northern Ireland, making his debut during their 2006 summer tour of the United States. He is currently Head of Youth Development Phase at Larne.

Career

Hughes played for the Ballymena United academy, before transferring to the academy at hometown club Larne. He went on to make his Irish League debut for The Harbour Rats, before moving to The Football League in England to join Lincoln City in League Two.

He was originally deployed in the left-back position for Larne, however under John Schofield at Lincoln, he proved himself equally adept at playing a more attacking role as a wing-back and a winger on the left side.

Despite Hughes' three goals over two legs against Bristol Rovers,[5][6] Lincoln experienced their fourth-successive play-off defeat in 2007, and Hughes moved to Crystal Palace of the Championship, reaching his highest level yet. However, he struggled at Selhurst Park. He went on a two-month loan to Peterborough United in November 2007, scoring once against Bradford City.[7] In the January transfer window, Peterborough tried to agree terms with Hughes to sign him, but failed to do so, and thus he returned to Palace.

At the end of March, Bristol Rovers signed Hughes on a loan deal until the end of the season, but he was injured on his reserve team debut, after giving Rovers the lead. He returned to Palace for treatment, before signing permanently for Rovers in the summer.

On 30 April 2010 he was called to the Northern Ireland B national football team for a friendly against Scotland national football B team on 6 May 2010.

On 18 September 2010 Hughes scored his first professional hat-trick away to Dagenham and Redbridge, a game which Rovers won 3–0.

He was one of seventeen players released by the team in May 2011.[8]

On 28 June 2011, Hughes signed for League One side Notts County on a two-year deal.[9] He scored on his league debut against Carlisle United on 6 August 2011.

On 22 May 2013, Hughes signed for Fleetwood Town.[10]

On 14 July 2015, Hughes signed a two-year contract with Cambridge United.[11]

In January 2016, Hughes moved to Tranmere Rovers, on loan for the rest of the season,[12] before signing a two-year deal with them in July of that year.[13]

On 11 April 2018, Hughes rejoined his hometown club Larne on a 3-year deal. During his second spell at the club, Hughes lead the Inver men to the Championship title in 2019 and promotion back into the Irish Premiership, for the first time since 2005. Success followed, as Larne would go onto win the County Antrim Shield three times, qualify for Europe on two occasions, including a magnificent campaign in 2021, winning through against Bala Town and Aarhus GF. Domestically, Hughes guided Larne to another Irish Cup final, losing to Linfield, but ultimately winning their first Irish League title in the clubs 134-year history in 2022–23 season.

On 8 February 2023, Hughes announced his retirement following a serious injury,[14] remaining at Larne in the role of Head of Youth Development Phase.[15]

Career statistics

As of 10 July 2017
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Lincoln City 2005–06[16] League Two 24 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 24 2
2006–07[17] League Two 41 6 0 0 1 0 2[a] 3 44 9
Total 65 8 0 0 1 0 2 3 68 11
Crystal Palace 2007–08[18] Championship 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 0
Peterborough United (loan) 2007–08[18] League Two 7 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 9 1
Bristol Rovers 2008–09[19] League One 43 6 1 0 1 0 1[b] 0 46 6
2009–10[20] League One 44 12 1 1 2 0 1[b] 0 48 13
2010–11[21] League One 42 10 1 0 1 0 2[b] 1 46 11
Total 129 28 3 1 4 0 4 1 140 30
Notts County 2011–12[22] League One 45 13 4 4 1 0 0 0 50 17
2012–13[23] League One 44 7 3 0 1 0 1[b] 0 49 7
Total 89 20 7 4 2 0 1 0 99 24
Fleetwood Town 2013–14[24] League Two 25 3 3 1 1 0 3[b] 1 32 5
2014–15[25] League One 22 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 23 1
Total 47 4 4 1 1 0 3 1 55 6
Cambridge United 2015–16[26] League Two 9 0 1 1 0 0 1[b] 0 11 1
Tranmere Rovers (loan) 2015–16[26] National League 18 1 0 0 --- 0 0 18 1
Tranmere Rovers 2016–17[27] National League 40 2 0 0 --- 3[c] 0 43 2
Career total 414 64 17 7 8 0 14 5 453 76
  1. ^ Appearances in League Two play-offs
  2. ^ a b c d e f Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy
  3. ^ Appearances in National League play-offs

Honours

Tranmere Rovers

Larne

Individual

References

  1. ^ Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2008). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2008–09. Mainstream Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84596-324-8.
  2. ^ a b Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2009). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2009–10. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84596-474-0.
  3. ^ Rollin, Glenda; Rollin, Jack, eds. (2012). Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2012–2013 (43rd ed.). London: Headline. p. 974. ISBN 978-0-7553-6356-8.
  4. ^ "Jeff Hughes". NIFG. 5 January 2007. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
  5. ^ "Bristol Rovers 2-1 Lincoln City". BBC. 12 May 2007. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  6. ^ "Lincoln City 3-5 Bristol Rovers". BBC. 17 May 2007. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  7. ^ "Peterborough 2–1 Bradford". BBC. 22 December 2007. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
  8. ^ "Midfielder Jeff Hughes heads Bristol Rovers exodus". BBC Sport. 23 May 2011. Retrieved 23 May 2011.
  9. ^ "Hughes Agrees Deal". Notts County F.C. 28 June 2011. Archived from the original on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
  10. ^ "Hughes opts for Highbury". Fleetwood Town FC. 22 May 2013.
  11. ^ "Jeff Hughes joins U's". Cambridge United. 14 July 2015. Archived from the original on 15 July 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  12. ^ "Tranmere Rovers: Jeff Hughes joins from Cambridge on loan". BBC Sport. 2 January 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  13. ^ "Jeff Hughes: Tranmere Rovers re-sign Cambridge United midfielder". BBC Sport. 8 July 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  14. ^ "Jeff Hughes announces retirement". larnefc.com. 8 February 2023. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  15. ^ "Jeff Hughes appointed as Head of Youth Development Phase". larnefc.com. 8 February 2023. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  16. ^ "Games played by Jeff Hughes in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  17. ^ "Games played by Jeff Hughes in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  18. ^ a b "Games played by Jeff Hughes in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  19. ^ "Games played by Jeff Hughes in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  20. ^ "Games played by Jeff Hughes in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  21. ^ "Games played by Jeff Hughes in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  22. ^ "Games played by Jeff Hughes in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  23. ^ "Games played by Jeff Hughes in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  24. ^ "Games played by Jeff Hughes in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  25. ^ "Games played by Jeff Hughes in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  26. ^ a b "Games played by Jeff Hughes in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  27. ^ "Games played by Jeff Hughes in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  28. ^ "County Antrim Shield final: Larne defeat Glens in Seaview shootout". BBC Sport. 2 December 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  29. ^ "Co Antrim Shield: Impressive Larne see off Linfield in gripping final to retain trophy". BBC Sport. 11 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  30. ^ "County Antrim Shield final: Larne complete hat-trick with shootout win after lengthy injury delay". BBC Sport. 17 January 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
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