Frankie Kent

Frankie James Kent (born 21 November 1995) is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Scottish Premiership side Heart of Midlothian.

Frankie Kent
Personal information
Full name Frankie James Kent[1]
Date of birth (1995-11-21) 21 November 1995[2]
Place of birth Romford, England
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[2]
Position(s) Centre back
Team information
Current team
 Heart of Midlothian
Number 2
Youth career
2002–2012 Arsenal
2012–2014 Colchester United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2019 Colchester United 127 (6)
2019–2023 Peterborough United 164 (4)
2023– Heart of Midlothian 9 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23 October 2023 (UTC)

Kent progressed through the Arsenal Academy prior to joining Colchester United's Academy for his two-year scholarship in 2012. He made his professional debut for the club in May 2014 and went on to make 141 appearances in five years with the U's. He subsequently played for Peterborough United, before joining Heart of Midlothian in 2023.

Career

Born in Romford,[3] Kent attended Shenfield High School, with whom he won the 2008 English Schools' Football Association under-12s Schools Cup for boys. He scored in the final held at Wolverhampton Wanderers' Molineux Stadium, doubling Shenfield High's lead early in the second half.[4]

Kent is a product of the Arsenal Academy, where he progressed through each age group from the age of seven to 16. He was released by Arsenal and went on trial at Colchester United.[5]

Colchester United

Kent joined Colchester's Academy for his two-year scholarship in 2012. During his scholarship, Kent was named captain of the under-18 side.[6] He was first called into the first-team squad by manager Joe Dunne in December 2013, where he was drafted in as defensive cover over the festive period after Northampton Town loanee Ben Tozer had been recalled from his loan at Colchester by his parent club.[7] During the same season, with the under-18s, Kent helped his side earn a league title and cup winning double. He played in the Youth Alliance Cup final held against Bradford City at Valley Parade on 29 April 2014 as the U's won the game 4–2.[8]

Just four days after his under-18s cup triumph, Kent made his professional debut for Colchester United on 3 May 2014. He came on as a half-time substitute for Magnus Okuonghae in a 1–0 away win against Walsall.[9]

2014–15 season

Kent made his first League One appearance of the season and his first senior start on 16 August when he replaced the suspended Magnus Okuonghae in the centre of defence for a game against Bristol City at Ashton Gate. He played the full 90 minutes as the U's succumbed to a 2–1 defeat.[10] He was once again called upon on 13 September when he replaced Sammie Szmodics in a tactical substitution in Colchester's 2–0 victory against Leyton Orient at Brisbane Road. He replaced Szmodics prior to half-time after Magnus Okuonghae was dismissed for a serious foul on Dave Mooney.[11] Okuonghae's ensuing four-match ban allowed Kent to make his first home start for the club on 16 September when the U's fell to a 3–2 defeat to Sheffield United, in which Colchester squandered a two-goal lead by conceding three goals in six second-half minutes.[12] In Okuonghae's absence, Kent established himself as a first-team regular, and with his contract set to expire at the end of the season, he was rewarded with a three-and-a-half year contract extension, which he signed on 16 October 2014.[13]

Kent once again held a starting berth for Colchester's home clash with Chesterfield on 21 October. However, less than one minute into the game, Kent fell to the ground after being struck in the head by the ball. Meanwhile, referee Darren Sheldrake allowed play to continue, as the Spireites scored through Sam Clucas. Kent then received four minutes of treatment on the field before being replaced by Magnus Okuonghae. After being stretchered off the pitch, Kent reappeared on the sidelines before the first-half ended.[14]

Following his injury, Kent returned to action in Colchester's 2–1 home defeat by Port Vale on 1 November.[15] It would prove to be his last game of the season, after suffering a knee injury that ruled him out of action until March 2015. A slip in a training session in March set back his recovery, and he failed to regain fitness before the end of the campaign.[16]

2015–16 season

Kent returned to first-team action in the 3–2 EFL Trophy defeat at Northampton Town on 1 September 2015, playing the full 90 minutes.[17] After making 29 appearances in the 2015–16 season, Kent was named as Colchester's Young Player of the Year at the club's end of season awards on 13 May 2016.[18]

2016–17 season

Early in the 2016–17 season, Kent was close to leaving the club on loan following his recovery from tendonitis. However, in November 2016, manager John McGreal switched tactics to utilise three central defenders, and Kent began a run of form alongside Tom Eastman and George Elokobi that would see Colchester through a nine-game unbeaten run. As a result, Kent was awarded the EFL Young Player of the Month for December.[5] Kent was then ruled out for the remainder of the season after suffering ruptured ankle ligaments during Colchester's 2–1 win against Barnet on 11 February 2017, having made 15 first-team appearances.[19]

2017–18 season

Kent scored his first professional goal on 9 August 2017 during Colchester's 2–1 EFL Cup defeat to Aston Villa. He also scored an own goal in the match.[20] He then scored his first league goal on 26 August against Forest Green Rovers.[21]

On 21 September, Kent signed a new contract to keep him with the club until summer 2020.[22]

2018–19 season

Kent received the first red card of his career on 1 January 2019 in the 89th minute of Colchester's 2–0 defeat at Crawley Town for a second bookable offence.[23] Having been named as Colchester United's Young Player of the Year in 2016, Kent was named the Colchester United Player of the Year for the 2018–19 season in an awards ceremony held on 29 April 2019.[24]

Peterborough United

On 22 June 2019, Kent signed for League One side Peterborough United on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee.[25]

Heart of Midlothian

On 24 July 2023, Kent signed for Scottish Premiership side Heart of Midlothian for an undisclosed fee.[26]

Style of play

Ex Colchester manager John McGreal, who had worked with Kent from his arrival at the club to the first-team, said of Kent:

He's a ball-playing centre-back, he's 6ft 2ins, he's getting more aggressive with his play and his reading of the game is excellent.[5]

Career statistics
As of 23 October 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Colchester United 2013–14[27] League One 1000000010
2014–15[28] League One 10000001[lower-alpha 1]0110
2015–16[29] League One 26020001[lower-alpha 1]0290
2016–17[30] League Two 13000101[lower-alpha 1]0150
2017–18[31] League Two 37210112[lower-alpha 1]0413
2018–19[32] League Two 40410102[lower-alpha 1]1445
Total 12764031711418
Peterborough United 2019–20[33] League One 28131102[lower-alpha 1]0342
2020–21[34] League One 45120102[lower-alpha 1]1502
2021–22[35] Championship 340102000370
2022–23[36] League One 422201040492
Total 14948150811705
Heart of Midlothian 2023–24[37] Scottish Premiership 90002040150
Career total 2851012110119232614
  1. Appearance(s) in the Football League Trophy

Honours
Peterborough United
• League One Runner-Up 2020/2021
Colchester United U18
Individual

References
  1. "Frankie Kent: Profile". worldfootball.net. HEIM:SPIEL. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  2. Frankie Kent at Soccerbase
  3. "Colchester United". FootballSquads. Retrieved 29 December 2018.
  4. "Shenfield U12s scoop national trophy". Daily Gazette. Colchester. 24 May 2008. Archived from the original on 4 May 2014. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  5. Shepka, Phil (23 January 2017). "Frankie Kent: Colchester United defender named EFL Young Player of the Month". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  6. "Frankie Kent". Colchester United FC. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  7. Waldron, Jonathan (26 December 2013). "Kent added to U's squad for festive schedule". Daily Gazette. Colchester. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  8. Marston, Carl (30 April 2014). "League-Cup double for super Colchester United Under-18s". East Anglian Daily Times. Ipswich. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  9. Marston, Carl (3 May 2014). "Colchester United end season on winning note with Craig Eastmond on target". East Anglian Daily Times. Ipswich. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  10. "Bristol City 2–1 Colchester". BBC Sport. 16 August 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  11. "Leyton Orient 0–2 Colchester". BBC Sport. 13 September 2014. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
  12. "Colchester 2–3 Sheff Utd". BBC Sport. 16 September 2014. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  13. Marston, Carl (16 October 2014). "Frankie Kent is third Colchester United player to sign a new deal". Green'Un. Ipswich. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  14. Waldron, Jonathan (21 October 2014). "Sears scores superb late winner as U's beat Chesterfield". Daily Gazette. Colchester. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  15. "Colchester 1–2 Port Vale". BBC Sport. 1 November 2014. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  16. Waldron, Jonathan (22 May 2015). "U's defender Kent on a fitness mission". Daily Gazette. Colchester. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  17. "Northampton 3–2 Colchester". BBC Sport. 1 September 2015. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  18. Waldron, Jonathan (13 May 2016). "Alex Gilbey crowned Player of the Year at Colchester United awards night". Daily Gazette. Colchester. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  19. Waldron, Jonathan (23 February 2017). "Denny Johnstone and Frankie Kent will be sidelined for the rest of Colchester United's League Two campaign". Daily Gazette. Colchester. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  20. "Colchester United 1–2 Aston Villa". BBC Sport. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  21. "Colchester United 5–1 Forest Green Rovers". BBC Sport. 26 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  22. Waldron, Jonathan (21 September 2017). "Frankie Kent has signed a new contract keeping him at Colchester United until 2020". Daily Gazette. Colchester. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  23. "Crawley Town 2–0 Colchester United". BBC Sport. 1 January 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  24. Waldron, Jonathan (29 April 2019). "Frankie Kent named Player of the Season at Colchester United awards night". Daily Gazette. Colchester. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  25. "Frankie Kent: Peterborough pay undisclosed fee for Colchester defender". BBC Sport. 22 June 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  26. "Frankie Goes To Tynecastle". Heart of Midlothian F.C. 24 July 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  27. "Games played by Frankie Kent in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  28. "Games played by Frankie Kent in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
  29. "Games played by Frankie Kent in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  30. "Games played by Frankie Kent in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
  31. "Games played by Frankie Kent in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  32. "Games played by Frankie Kent in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  33. "Games played by Frankie Kent in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  34. "Games played by Frankie Kent in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  35. "Games played by Frankie Kent in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  36. "Games played by Frankie Kent in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  37. "Games played by Frankie Kent in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  38. "Newsletter 34" (PDF). The Football League. 14 April 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 May 2014. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
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