Luke Graham (footballer)

Luke William Graham (born 27 April 1986) is a semi-professional footballer who plays for Kettering Town as a defender. Born in England, he represented the Republic of Ireland and Wales internationally at youth levels.

Luke Graham
Graham playing for Brackley Town in 2017
Personal information
Full name Luke William Graham[1]
Date of birth (1986-04-27) 27 April 1986[1]
Place of birth Kettering, England
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[1]
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Kettering Town (player-coach)
Youth career
0000–2003 Northampton Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2006 Northampton Town 0 (0)
2003–2004 → Billericay Town (loan) 9 (1)
2004–2005 → Aylesbury United (loan) 4 (1)
2005 → Kettering Town (loan) 13 (0)
2005–2006 → Forest Green Rovers (loan) 27 (0)
2006–2009 Kettering Town 73 (2)
2008–2009 → King's Lynn (loan) 30 (4)
2009–2010 Mansfield Town 7 (0)
2009–2010 → York City (loan) 5 (0)
2010 York City 20 (1)
2010–2011 Kettering Town 25 (0)
2011 → Luton Town (loan) 10 (0)
2011–2012 Forest Green Rovers 28 (0)
2012–2014 Hereford United 85 (3)
2014–2015 Alfreton Town 45 (2)
2015–2018 Brackley Town 98 (5)
2018– Kettering Town 0 (0)
International career
Republic of Ireland U18
Wales U19
Managerial career
2019 Kettering Town (caretaker)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13:08, 18 December 2017 (UTC)

Club career

Born in Kettering, Northamptonshire,[2] Graham started his career with Northampton Town in their youth system.[3] He was loaned to Billericay Town from November 2003 to February 2004, making nine appearances and scoring one goal in the Isthmian League Premier Division.[4][5] He was offered a professional contract with Northampton in May 2004.[6] Graham joined Southern League Premier Division side Aylesbury United on a one-month loan on 22 December 2004 and he completed this period successfully,[7][8] making five appearances and scoring one goal.[9] He joined Conference North side Kettering Town on loan in February 2005 and made 15 appearances, including playing in a 3–2 defeat after extra time against Altrincham in the play-off Final.[10][11] He signed a new contract with Northampton in August 2005 and joined Conference National team Forest Green Rovers on loan for the 2005–06 season,[12] where he made 30 appearances.[13]

Graham was released by Northampton on 10 May 2006 and later that month agreed to rejoin Kettering permanently.[14][15] He finished the 2006–07 season with 51 appearances and two goals, as Kettering reached the Conference North play-off semi-final.[16] Graham was a member of the side that won the Conference North title the following season, in which he made 35 appearances and scored one goal.[17] He agreed a new contract with the club in May 2008.[18] After struggling to make the breakthrough into the first team he was sent to Conference North side King's Lynn on a one-month loan on 21 October 2008,[19] which was extended for the rest of the 2008–09 season in November.[20]

Conference Premier club Mansfield Town signed Graham on 19 May 2009 but after he lost his place in the team was sent to divisional rivals York City on a one-month loan on 5 November.[21][22] The loan was extended for a second month on 9 December 2009 and he made the move permanent on 6 January 2010 after Mansfield agreed to give him a free transfer, signing until the end of the 2009–10 season.[23][24] He played for York in the play-offs where they eventually lost to Oxford United in the 2010 Conference Premier play-off final at Wembley Stadium.[25]

Although he was offered a new two-year contract at York he moved back to Kettering on a two-year contract on 4 June 2010 with the option of a one-year extension, as it was closer to his home.[26] On 31 January 2011, the day of the transfer deadline, Graham signed on loan for Luton Town for the rest of the 2010–11 season, with a view to a permanent move.[27] He scored the winning goal on his full debut for the club, a 1–0 victory over Gloucester City, that put Luton into the quarter-final of the FA Trophy.[28]

Graham re-signed for Forest Green on a two-year contract for an undisclosed fee on 30 July 2011.[29] He made 29 appearances for Forest Green in the 2011–12 season.[30] Graham and Forest Green agreed to part ways midway through Graham's two-year deal and he joined Hereford United on 20 June 2012.[31] After establishing himself as a vital part of the team, Graham signed a new one-year contract as a player/coach with Hereford on 11 June 2013.[32]

Graham turned down a new deal with Hereford to sign for Conference Premier club Alfreton Town on a two-year contract on 2 July 2014.[33] He wanted to combine playing part-time football with a career as a PE teacher, after completing a degree in sports journalism.[34]

On 2 October 2018, Graham returned to Kettering Town as a player-coach.[35] On 25 September 2019, Graham was named joint caretaker manager for the club together with former Kettering player Steven Kinniburgh.[36] The duo was replaced on 25 October 2019.

International career

Despite being born in England, Graham represented the Republic of Ireland under-18 team before playing for the Wales under-19 side.[37][38]

Career statistics
Graham playing for Brackley Town in 2017
As of match played 9 December 2017
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Billericay Town (loan) 2003–04[5] Isthmian League Premier Division 91——91
Northampton Town 2004–05[39] League Two 0000000000
Aylesbury United (loan) 2004–05[9] Southern League Premier Division 41——1[lower-alpha 1]051
Kettering Town (loan) 2004–05[11] Conference North 130——2[lower-alpha 2]0150
Forest Green Rovers (loan) 2005–06[13] Conference National 27000—3[lower-alpha 1]0300
Kettering Town 2006–07[16] Conference North 41141—6[lower-alpha 3]0512
2007–08[17] Conference North 30120—3[lower-alpha 4]0351
2008–09[40] Conference Premier 20——0020
Total 73261—90883
King's Lynn (loan) 2008–09[41] Conference North 30410—2[lower-alpha 1]1335
Mansfield Town 2009–10[42] Conference Premier 7000——70
York City (loan) 2009–10[25] Conference Premier 5030—2[lower-alpha 1]0100
York City 2009–10[25] Conference Premier 201——6[lower-alpha 5]0261
Kettering Town 2010–11[43] Conference Premier 25010—00260
Luton Town (loan) 2010–11[28] Conference Premier 100——4[lower-alpha 1]1141
Forest Green Rovers 2011–12[30] Conference Premier 28000—1[lower-alpha 1]0290
Hereford United 2012–13[2] Conference Premier 43230—2[lower-alpha 1]0482
2013–14[2] Conference Premier 42110—00431
Total 85340—20913
Alfreton Town 2014–15[2] Conference Premier 45220—2[lower-alpha 1]1493
Brackley Town 2015–16[2] National League North 27131—00302
2016–17[2] 35340—6[lower-alpha 1]0453
2017–18[2] 19100—1[lower-alpha 1]0201
Total 815710070956
Career total 462192420041352724
  1. Appearances in the FA Trophy
  2. Appearances in Conference North play-offs
  3. Five appearances in FA Trophy, one in Conference North play-offs
  4. Two appearances in Conference League Cup, one in FA Trophy
  5. Three appearances in FA Trophy, three in Conference Premier play-offs

Honours

Kettering Town

Brackley Town

References
  1. "Personal Information". 2013 Summer Universiade. Archived from the original on 14 March 2014. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
  2. "L. Graham". Soccerway. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
  3. "Reeves at the double as reserves win at Gillingham". Northampton Town F.C. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  4. "Director of Football and Chief Executive attend Supporters Trust Open Forum". Northampton Town F.C. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  5. "Player Details: Season 2003–2004". SoccerFactsUK. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  6. Fudge, Simon (25 May 2004). "Calderwood hands out new deals". Sky Sports. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  7. "Graham seals Aylesbury loan deal". BBC Sport. 22 December 2004. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
  8. "Reserves claim Stevenage point". Northampton Town F.C. 19 January 2005. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  9. "Luke Graham". Aylesbury United F.C. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  10. "Player statistics". Kettering Town F.C. Archived from the original on 14 September 2010. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  11. "Player Details: Season 2004–2005". SoccerFactsUK. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  12. "Graham loaned out to Forest Green". BBC Sport. 1 August 2005. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
  13. "Luke Graham season details 2005/2006". Clarets Mad. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
  14. "Quintet released by Northampton". BBC Sport. 10 May 2006. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
  15. "Poppies 2006–07 squad announced". Kettering Town F.C. 19 May 2006. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  16. Williams (2007). Williams, Mike; Williams, Tony (eds.). Non-League Club Directory 2008. Kingsbridge: Tony Williams Publications. pp. 230–231. ISBN 978-1-869833-57-2.
  17. Williams, Mike; Williams, Tony, eds. (2008). Non-League Club Directory 2009. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 90–91. ISBN 978-1-869833-59-6.
  18. "Dempster signs new Kettering deal". BBC Sport. 15 May 2008. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
  19. "Graham loaned to Lynn". Non-League Daily. 21 October 2008. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  20. "Linnets extend Graham loan deal". BBC Sport. 13 November 2008. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
  21. "Mansfield snap up defender Graham". BBC Sport. 19 May 2009. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
  22. "York take Graham on month's loan". BBC Sport. 5 November 2009. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
  23. "Mansfield's Luke Graham extends loan at York City". BBC Sport. 9 December 2009. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
  24. "York City sign Chris Carruthers and Luke Graham". BBC Sport. 6 January 2010. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
  25. Williams; Wright (eds.). Non-League Club Directory 2011. pp. 160–161.
    Flett, Dave (26 April 2010). "Stevenage 1, York City 0". The Press. York. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
    Flett, Dave (27 January 2010). "York City 1, Newport County 0 – FA Trophy replay". The Press. York. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  26. "Kettering re-sign defender Luke Graham". BBC Sport. 4 June 2010. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
  27. "Luke Graham signs for Luton as four others are released". BBC Sport. 31 January 2011. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
  28. Williams; Williams (eds.). Non-League Club Directory 2012. pp. 116–117.
    "Cruel, cruel penalty shoot-out defeat for Hatters". Luton Today. 21 May 2011. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
  29. "Forest Green Rovers sign Kettering Town's Graham". BBC Sport. 31 July 2011. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  30. Williams, Mike; Williams, Tony, eds. (2012). Non-League Club Directory 2013. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 64–65. ISBN 978-1-869833-77-0.
  31. "Hereford sign James Bittner and Luke Graham from Forest Green". BBC Sport. 20 June 2012. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  32. "Hereford United: New deals for Graham, O'Keefe and McDonald". BBC Sport. 11 June 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  33. "Alfreton Town sign defenders Luke Graham and Jordan Keane". BBC Sport. 2 June 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  34. "Luke Graham: Alfreton Town defender wants fresh start". BBC Sport. 18 July 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  35. BREAKING NEWS - NEW SIGNING, ketteringtownfc.com, 2 October 2018
  36. Kettering Town sack Nicky Eaden after early cup exit, thenonleaguefootballpaper.com, 25 September 2019
  37. "Ireland U-18 and U-17 squads". RTÉ Sport. 19 April 2004. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  38. "Wales U-19 football news". Dragon Soccer. Retrieved 11 January 2011.
  39. "Squad stats: 2004/05". Soccerbase. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  40. Williams, Tony; Wright, James, eds. (2009). Non-League Club Directory 2010. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 104–105. ISBN 978-1-869833-66-4.
  41. "Season 2008–09 fixtures/results". Blue & Gold Supporters' Trust. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
  42. Williams, Tony; Wright, James, eds. (2010). Non-League Club Directory 2011. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 124–125. ISBN 978-1-869833-68-8.
  43. Williams, Mike; Williams, Tony, eds. (2011). Non-League Club Directory 2012. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 100–101. ISBN 978-1-869833-70-1.
  44. Paul Doyle (20 May 2018). "Andy Brown's decisive penalty wins FA Trophy for Brackley over Bromley". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
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