Ben Hedley

Ben Hedley (born 18 October 1998) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for National League North club Darlington. He previously played in the Football League for Morecambe, as well as in non-league football for Witton Albion and Bradford (Park Avenue).

Ben Hedley
Personal information
Full name Ben Hedley[1]
Date of birth (1998-10-18) 18 October 1998
Place of birth Gateshead, England
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Darlington
Number 2
Youth career
0000–2017 Morecambe
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2019 Morecambe 2 (0)
2017 → Witton Albion (loan) 17 (1)
2019 Bradford (Park Avenue) 7 (0)
2019– Darlington 103 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10:14, 25 October 2023 (UTC)

Playing career

Hedley came through the Morecambe Academy to make his first-team debut on 6 May 2017, coming on as an 88th-minute substitute for Aaron Wildig in a 3–1 defeat at Luton Town.[2] He signed his first professional contract with the club the following month.[3]

On 15 August 2017, he joined Northern Premier League Premier Division club Witton Albion on an initial one-month loan; "Shrimps" manager Jim Bentley said that "he'll be in good hands at Witton with the management (Carl MacCauley and Gary Martindale) who are both good football people that I trust to do right by Ben".[4] His loan spell was extended into a second month after he impressed in his first eight starts for the club,[5] and was extended a second time. He scored his first senior goal on 14 October in a 5–2 victory over Coalville Town at Wincham Park, and finished the loan spell with 19 appearances in all competitions.[6][7]

Hedley was named Morecambe's Reserve Team Player of the Year for 2017–18.[8] In 2018–19, he featured twice in the EFL Trophy,[9] and made his first Football League start on 23 October 2018 in a 1–0 defeat at home to Mansfield Town; the Lancashire Post described it as a "solid debut".[10] Despite being named as a substitute on 38 occasions, he made no more league appearances and was released at the end of the season.[9][11]

On 7 June 2019, Hedley joined National League North club Bradford (Park Avenue), managed by Garry Thompson with whom he had played at Morecambe.[12] Thompson was dismissed just two matches into the season,[13] and Hedley played in seven before leaving for another National League North club, Darlington, in early September.[9][14]

Career statistics
As of match played 24 October 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League cup[lower-alpha 1] Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Morecambe 2016–17[15] League Two 1000000010
2017–18[16] League Two0000000000
2018–19[17] League Two1000002[lower-alpha 2]030
Total 2000002040
Witton Albion (loan) 2017–18[6] NPL Premier Division 17100101[lower-alpha 3]0191
Bradford (Park Avenue) 2019–20[9] National League North 70———70
Darlington 2019–20[9][18] National League North 22050—4[lower-alpha 3]0310
2020–21[9][19] National League North 5030—2[lower-alpha 3]0100
2021–22[9][20] National League North 34010—1[lower-alpha 3]0360
2022–23[9][21] National League North 40020—3[lower-alpha 3]1451
2023–24[9][22] National League North 2020—0040
Total 1030130—1011261
Career total 1291130101311562
  1. Includes EFL Cup, Northern League Challenge Cup
  2. Appearances in EFL Trophy
  3. Appearance(s) in FA Trophy

References
  1. "Retained List 2016–17" (PDF). English Football League. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  2. "Luton Town 3-1 Morecambe". BBC Sport. 6 May 2017. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  3. "Bentley hails academy improvements after signing three more youngsters". The Visitor. Morecambe. 23 June 2017. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  4. "Ben Hedley loan". Morecambe F.C. 15 August 2017. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  5. Simpson, Andrew (15 September 2017). "Hedley extends loan stay with Witton". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  6. "1st team: Ben Hedley". Witton Albion F.C. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  7. Simpson, Andrew (14 October 2017). "Witton Albion follow midweek victory with another after scoring five times against Coalville Town". Northwich Guardian. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  8. "Player of the Year awards". Morecambe F.C. 29 April 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2019.
  9. "B. Hedley". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  10. Quinn, Derek (24 October 2018). "Morecambe 0, Mansfield 1: Another home loss for Shrimps". Lancashire Post. Retrieved 8 September 2019.
  11. "Morecambe release five players but extend the deals of four more". BBC Sport. 7 May 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
  12. "Ben Hedley joins Bradford (Park Avenue)]". Bradford (Park Avenue) A.F.C. 7 June 2019. Retrieved 8 September 2019.
  13. "Bradford (Park Avenue) sack Thompson and Gardner". Telegraph and Argus. Bradford. 8 August 2019. Retrieved 8 September 2019.
  14. Stoddart, Craig (8 September 2019). "Hedley joins Darlington from Bradford Park Avenue". The Northern Echo. Darlington. Retrieved 8 September 2019.
  15. "Games played by Ben Hedley in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  16. "Games played by Ben Hedley in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  17. "Games played by Ben Hedley in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  18. For FA Cup qualifying rounds: Simpson, Ray (21 September 2019). "Quakers win first FA Cup tie in five years". Darlington F.C. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
    Simpson, Ray (5 October 2019). "Tyrone and Justin put Quakers through". Darlington F.C. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
    Simpson, Ray (19 October 2019). "Two from Tyrone help to fire Quakers into the first round". Darlington F.C. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
    For FA Trophy third qualifying round: Simpson, Ray (23 November 2019). "Sub Justin scores the winner". Darlington F.C. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  19. For FA Cup third qualifying round: Simpson, Ray (13 October 2020). "Early Liddle goal sets up Quakers goal spree". Darlington F.C. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  20. For FA Cup second qualifying round: Simpson, Ray (18 September 2021). "Quakers held to a goalless draw in FA Cup". Darlington F.C. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
    Simpson, Ray (21 September 2021). "Quakers knocked out of Cup by lucky goal". Darlington F.C. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  21. For FA Cup second and third qualifying rounds: "Becky's hat trick puts Quakers into the next round". Darlington F.C. 17 September 2022. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
    Simpson, Ray (1 October 2022). "Quakers beaten by second half goal at Hyde". Darlington F.C. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  22. For FA Cup second and third qualifying rounds: "Emirates FA Cup Second Qualifying Round – Darlington 3–1 Workington AFC". Football Web Pages. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
    Simpson, Ray (30 September 2023). "Scarborough go through with late penalty". Darlington F.C. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
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