Jon Worthington

Jon Worthington
Personal information
Full name Jonathan Alan Spencer Worthington
Date of birth (1983-04-16) 16 April 1983 (age 41)
Place of birth Dewsbury, England
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Huddersfield Town (B Team Manager)
Youth career
1992–2002 Huddersfield Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2009 Huddersfield Town 213 (12)
2009 → Yeovil Town (loan) 9 (0)
2009–2011 Oldham Athletic 16 (0)
2010–2011 → Fleetwood Town (loan) 3 (0)
2011 → Bradford City (loan) 1 (0)
2011 Bradford City 15 (0)
2011 Mansfield Town 17 (0)
2012–2014 FC Halifax Town 35 (7)
Total 309 (19)
Managerial career
2024 Huddersfield Town (caretaker)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Jonathan Alan Spencer Worthington (born 16 April 1983) is an English professional football coach and former player who coaches Championship club Huddersfield Town's under-19 and B Teams. He was interim manager of the side in 2024.[2]

Worthington previously played in the Football League for Huddersfield Town, Yeovil Town, Oldham Athletic and Bradford City and in the Conference for Fleetwood Town, Mansfield Town and FC Halifax Town. After retiring, Worthington worked as a physiotherapist at Halifax Town, before rejoining Huddersfield. Initially a physio in the club's academy, he subsequently became a youth team coach for the club.

Playing career

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Huddersfield Town

[edit]

Born in nearby Dewsbury,[1] Worthington began playing for Huddersfield Town at the age of nine, eventually moving through the club's youth academy and into the first team. He primarily plays as a hard tackling central midfielder. Many Terriers fans regarded Worthington as being the main lynchpin of the Town midfield. Other midfielders have attempted to fill that role such as Michael Collins, Andy Holdsworth, Adnan Ahmed, Mark Hudson and loan signing Ronnie Wallwork, but fans felt that the Town midfield four was incomplete without Worthington in the middle.

He was made captain in 2004 after previous captain Efe Sodje was stripped of the captaincy after being sent off in a Football League Trophy match against Blackpool which Town lost 6–3 in extra time. He was given the captaincy over Nathan Clarke who was named vice-captain.

Worthington picked up 16 yellow cards in the 2005–06 season. Another other low point was that through injury he missed Huddersfield Town's high-profile FA Cup tie against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in 2008.

Following Andy Ritchie's departure as manager of the Terriers in 2008, Worthington was relieved of his captaincy duties by caretaker manager Gerry Murphy, so he could focus on his playing duties. The captaincy was taken up by Rob Page.

Yeovil Town

[edit]

After being out of new manager Lee Clark's plans, Worthington moved on loan to Yeovil Town on 30 January 2009. He made his debut the following day in the 1–0 win over Leyton Orient at Brisbane Road. His loan was extended by another month on 3 March, following impressive displays under new player-manager Terry Skiverton. He was recalled on 26 March. However, it was revealed on 17 April, that manager Lee Clark did not see Worthington in his future plans and said he was not going to offer him a new contract.

Oldham Athletic

[edit]

On 26 May 2009, he joined Oldham Athletic, becoming Dave Penney's second new signing after Rob Purdie.

In July 2010 he was transfer-listed by the club, along with five other first team players.[3] He joined Fleetwood Town on loan on 18 November 2010 returning on 2 January 2011.[4] On 25 January 2011, he joined Bradford City on a one-month emergency loan deal.[5] He was recalled by Oldham after one match and released by the club on 27 January 2011 allowing him to seek another club before the closure of the winter transfer window. .[6] He then signed for Bradford on a permanent basis, signing a four-month contract.[7]

Mansfield Town

[edit]

In June 2011, it was announced that Worthington had joined Conference Premier side Mansfield Town on a one-year deal[8]

FC Halifax Town

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In July 2012, he joined FC Halifax Town on a one-year deal.[9] Worthington was played in a more attacking role at Halifax than he had been used to previously in his career, but he had great success including two goals against Abbey Hey in the FA Cup in a 6–0 victory. Worthington also bagged a goal from the edge of the box on Boxing Day 2012 against Gainsborough Trinity. In January 2013, Worthington suffered an injury against Solihull Moors after going in for a challenge which won The Shaymen a penalty. He made his return against Droylsden in February and scored a goal in the 6–0 victory over The Bloods.

Coaching career

[edit]

In the summer of 2014, Worthington was appointed as player-physiotherapist at FC Halifax Town.[10]

After retiring from playing at the end of the 2014–15 season, Worthington returned to Huddersfield Town as academy physio.[11] Having spent four years as a physio in the Huddersfield academy, in June 2019 Worthington was appointed the club's new under-17 coach.[12] The following year, Worthington was promoted to under-19 coach.[13] In January 2021, he took on the additional role of B Team coach.[2]

Career statistics

[edit]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Huddersfield Town 2002–03[14] Second Division 22 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 23 0
2003–04[15] Third Division 39 3 1 0 2 0 4[a] 0 46 3
2004–05[16] League One 39 3 1 0 1 0 1[b] 0 42 3
2005–06[17] League One 41 4 2 0 1 0 3[c] 1 47 5
2006–07[18] League One 28 2 1 0 0 0 1[b] 0 30 2
2007–08[19] League One 25 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 27 0
2008–09[19] League One 19 0 0 0 2 1 1[b] 0 22 1
Total 213 12 7 0 7 1 10 1 237 14
Yeovil Town (loan) 2008–09[19] League One 9 0 — — — 9 0
Oldham Athletic 2009–10[20] League One 16 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 17 0
2010–11[21] League One 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 16 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 17 0
Fleetwood Town (loan) 2010–11[1] Conference Premier 3 0 — — — 3 0
Bradford City 2010–11[21][d] League Two 16 0 — — — 16 0
Mansfield Town 2011–12[1] Conference Premier 17 0 0 0 — 0 0 17 0
FC Halifax Town 2012–13[1] Conference North 25 6 5 3 — 4[e] 0 34 9
2013–14[1] Conference Premier 10 1 1 0 — 1[f] 0 12 1
2014–15[1] Conference Premier 0 0 0 0 — 1[g] 0 1 0
Total 35 7 6 3 — 6 0 48 10
Career total 309 19 13 3 8 1 16 1 346 24
  1. ^ One appearance in Football League Trophy, three appearances in Third Division play-offs
  2. ^ a b c Appearance in Football League Trophy
  3. ^ One appearance in Football League Trophy, two appearances and one goal in League One play-offs
  4. ^ Worthington made one appearance for Bradford City on loan from Oldham Athletic before signing permanently in the January transfer window.
  5. ^ Three appearances in FA Trophy, one in Conference North play-offs
  6. ^ Appearance in FA Trophy
  7. ^ Appearance in West Riding County Cup

Personal life

[edit]

Worthington studied at the University of Salford for a degree in Physiotherapy, graduating in 2015.[22]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "J. Worthington: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  2. ^ a b Threlfall-Sykes, David (5 January 2021). "JON WORTHINGTON STEPS INTO B TEAM ROLE". htafc.com. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  3. ^ "Transfer-listed Players". Oldham Athletic AFC. Archived from the original on 28 July 2010. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
  4. ^ "Worthington back home". Oldham Athletic AFC. Archived from the original on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2011.
  5. ^ "Wothington leaves on loan". Oldham Athletic AFC. Archived from the original on 8 September 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  6. ^ "Wothington contract terminated". Oldham Athletic AFC. 27 January 2011. Retrieved 27 January 2011.
  7. ^ "Worthington deal made permanent". Bradford City AFC. 27 January 2011. Archived from the original on 29 January 2011. Retrieved 27 January 2011.
  8. ^ "Worthington puts pen to paper". Mansfield Town FC. 20 June 2011. Archived from the original on 12 June 2012. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
  9. ^ "Shaymen Make Double Swoop". NonLeagueDaily.com. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 5 July 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  10. ^ Booth, Mel (1 July 2014). "Former Huddersfield Town captain Jon Worthington named FC Halifax Town's club physio for season ahead". YorkshireLive. Reach plc. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  11. ^ Thomson, Doug (30 June 2015). "Former Huddersfield Town skipper Jon Worthington back on familiar turf". YorkshireLive. Reach plc. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  12. ^ "Jon Worthington becomes under-17 coach". htafc.com. Huddersfield Town A.F.C. 13 June 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  13. ^ "Jon Worthington – Coaching – Academy Staff". htafc.com. Huddersfield Town A.F.C. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  14. ^ "Games played by Jon Worthington in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  15. ^ "Games played by Jon Worthington in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  16. ^ "Games played by Jon Worthington in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  17. ^ "Games played by Jon Worthington in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  18. ^ "Games played by Jon Worthington in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  19. ^ a b c "Games played by Jon Worthington in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  20. ^ "Games played by Jon Worthington in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  21. ^ a b "Games played by Jon Worthington in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  22. ^ "PFA members graduate from the University of Salford". Professional Footballer's Association. 14 July 2015. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
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