Alex Hurst (footballer)

Alexander Charles Hurst (born 6 October 1999) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Northern Premier League Premier Division club Macclesfield.

Alex Hurst
Personal information
Full name Alexander Charles Hurst[1]
Date of birth (1999-10-06) 6 October 1999[2]
Place of birth Stoke-on-Trent, England[3]
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[4]
Position(s) Midfielder, left-back, forward
Team information
Current team
 Macclesfield
Youth career
Crewe Alexandra
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018 Matlock Town 7 (0)
2018–2019 Bradford (Park Avenue) 25 (1)
2019–2022 Port Vale 21 (1)
2019–2020 → Bradford (Park Avenue) (loan) 32 (0)
2022–2023 York City 38 (2)
2023– Macclesfield 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:07, 2 October 2023 (UTC)

A former Academy player at Crewe Alexandra, he won a move from Matlock Town to Bradford (Park Avenue) in October 2018, before being picked up by Port Vale in August 2019. He returned on loan at Bradford (Park Avenue) during the 2019–20 season. He played 26 games for Port Vale in the 2020–21 season, but featured just twice the following season and joined York City in June 2022. He signed with Macclesfield in September 2023.

Career

Early career

Hurst came through the Academy at Crewe Alexandra and played for the "Railwaymen" at under-18 and under-23 level.[5] He joined Northern Premier League Premier Division side Matlock Town in August 2018 after impressing "Gladiators" boss Dave Hoole on trial.[6] He was signed by National League North club Bradford (Park Avenue) on 19 October 2018.[7] He made his debut for the Avenue the following day, and after coming on for Nicky Wroe as a 68th-minute substitute went and scored a goal with five minutes in what finished as a 6–0 victory at Nuneaton Borough.[8] He was handed his first start by manager Mark Bower on Boxing day, as Bradford recorded a 5–1 victory at Guiseley.[9] He ended the 2018–19 season with 13 starts and 12 substitute appearances to his name, including a brief cameo in a 1–0 defeat at Spennymoor Town in the play-off quarter-finals.[10]

Port Vale

On 3 August 2019, Hurst signed a two-year contract with English Football League side Port Vale after impressing manager John Askey on trial, though was immediately returned to Bradford (Park Avenue) on a five-month loan deal.[11][12] Bradford manager Garry Thompson said that "He's worked hard and deserves everything he's got. Whilst we naturally want to keep our best players, the transfer shows that we are committed to developing talent but also won't stand in anyone's way to progress."[13] On 24 September, he made his debut for the "Valiants" in a 3–2 victory at Macclesfield Town in the EFL Trophy, coming on as a 90th-minute substitute for Scott Burgess; the rules of the competition meant that he was able to play for the club during his loan spell at Bradford.[14] On 23 January, the loan deal was extended until the end of the 2019–20 season.[15] Bradford remained rooted to the foot of the table, though Vale coach Dave Kevan felt the experience was character building for Hurst.[16]

He scored his first goal for the club on 10 November 2020, with a 15 yards (14 m) strike in a 4–2 win over Liverpool U21 in the group stages of the EFL Trophy.[17] He made his League Two debut on 5 December, coming on as a 69th-minute substitute for Cristian Montaño in a 6–3 victory at Bolton Wanderers.[18] He made his first start in the EFL seven days later, and Askey said that "for an hour I thought he was excellent" in the 1–1 draw with Colchester United at Vale Park.[19] He scored his first goal in the English Football League on 6 March, during a 3–2 defeat at Cheltenham Town.[20] He signed a new two-year contract the following month, with manager Darrell Clarke commenting that "we are very much looking forward to seeing Hursty continue his development".[21] Hiwever he played just two games in the 2021–22 promotion campaign, though director of football David Flitcroft said: "Alex has faced tough competition for game time here at Port Vale but has remained professional throughout and has played a key role as a member of our extended squad".[22][23]

York City

On 20 June 2022, Hurst joined newly-promoted National League club York City for an undisclosed fee. The move saw Hurst once again play under John Askey, the manager who had signed him for Port Vale.[24] He was sent off for a challenge on Frank Vincent in a 2–1 defeat at Aldershot Town on 22 October, though Askey said that he disagreed with the referee's decision.[25] Hurst played 36 games in the 2022–23 season, scoring two goals.[26]

Macclesfield

On 27 September 2023, Hurst signed for Northern Premier League Premier Division club Macclesfield on a deal until the end of the season.[27]

Style of play

Hurst is a versatile player, able to operate as a left-sided midfielder, left-back, attacking midfielder or forward.[5] He has pace, good ball control skills and has good strength despite his small build.[28]

Career statistics
As of match played 19 September 2023
Club Season League FA Cup EFL Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Matlock Town 2018–19[29] NPL Premier Division 7 0 1 0 — 0 0 8 0
Bradford (Park Avenue) 2018–19[26]National League North25100—00251
Port Vale 2019–20[30]League Two0000001[lower-alpha 1]010
2020–21[31] League Two 20100105[lower-alpha 1]1262
2021–22[22] League Two 1000001[lower-alpha 1]020
Total 211001071292
Bradford (Park Avenue) (loan) 2019–20[26]National League North32010—2[lower-alpha 2]0350
York City 2022–23[26]National League33210—2[lower-alpha 2]0362
2023–24[26]National League5000—0050
Total 382100020412
Macclesfield 2023–24[32]NPL Premier Division0000—0000
Career total 123430101111385
  1. Appearances in the EFL Trophy.
  2. Appearances in the FA Trophy.

References
  1. "Notification of shirt numbers: Port Vale" (PDF). English Football League. p. 54. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  2. "FootballSquads - Port Vale - 2020/2021". www.footballsquads.co.uk. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  3. "FootballSquads - Port Vale - 2020/2021". www.footballsquads.co.uk. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  4. "Alex Hurst - Midfielder - First Team - Port Vale". www.port-vale.co.uk. Archived from the original on 1 September 2019. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  5. "Alex Hurst". Bradford (Park Avenue) AFC. Archived from the original on 4 August 2019. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  6. Lomas, John (8 August 2018). "Matlock may make late addditions [sic] to new-look squad". Matlock Mercury. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  7. "Bradford (Park Avenue) sign Alex Hurst from Matlock". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 19 October 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  8. "Nuneaton Borough vs. Bradford (Park Avenue) - 20 October 2018 - Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  9. "Guiseley vs. Bradford (Park Avenue) - 26 December 2018 - Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  10. "Spennymoor Town vs. Bradford (Park Avenue) - 1 May 2019 - Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  11. McLellan, Max (3 August 2019). "Alex Hurst signs for the Vale". www.port-vale.co.uk. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  12. "Alex Hurst: Port Vale sign Bradford (Park Avenue) midfielder". BBC Sport. 3 August 2019. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  13. Baggaley, Michael (5 August 2019). "'He deserves everything he's got' - Non-league club on Hurst's Port Vale move". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  14. Baggaley, Michael (24 September 2019). "Macclesfield 2, Port Vale 3 Trophy match report". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  15. "Hurst To Remain At The Avenue". Bradford (Park Avenue) AFC. 23 January 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  16. Baggaley, Michael (7 December 2020). "Owners, Wolves game and more - Port Vale press conference talking points". StokeonTrentLive. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  17. Baggaley, Michael (10 November 2020). "Port Vale 4, Liverpool under-21s 2 - Report and ratings as Vale go through". StokeonTrentLive. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  18. "Bolton Wanderers 3-6 Port Vale". BBC Sport. 5 December 2020. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  19. Baggaley, Michael (12 December 2020). "'That's costing us' - John Askey's verdict on Port Vale 1, Colchester 1". StokeonTrentLive. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  20. "Cheltenham Town 3-2 Port Vale". BBC Sport. 6 March 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  21. Baggaley, Michael (15 April 2021). "Port Vale winger Alex Hurst signs new deal". StokeonTrentLive. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  22. "Games played by Alex Hurst in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  23. Baggaley, Michael (21 June 2022). "Alex Hurst leaves Port Vale for John Askey's York City". StokeonTrentLive. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  24. Simmonite, Dan (21 June 2022). "Alex Hurst signs from Port Vale". York City F.C. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  25. O'Reilly, James (22 October 2022). "'Refereeing at times not always the best' says York City boss John Askey". York Press. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  26. Alex Hurst at Soccerway
  27. "ALEX HURST JOINS THE SILKMEN". macclesfieldfc.com. 27 September 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  28. Baggaley, Michael (3 August 2019). "Port Vale sign midfielder from Bradford Park Avenue". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  29. "Match Facts". Gladiators: Matlock Town FC Official Matchday Programme (vs Nantwich Town). 26 January 2019.
  30. "Games played by Alex Hurst in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  31. "Games played by Alex Hurst in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  32. "Macclesfield | Appearances | Alex Hurst | Football Web Pages". www.footballwebpages.co.uk. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
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