Ben Close
{{short description|English footballer (born 1996)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2016}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Ben Close
| image =
| caption =
| full_name = Ben Easton Close{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/image/201920/general-news/efl-squad-numbering-06.09.2019.pdf |title=Notification of shirt numbers: Portsmouth |publisher=English Football League |page=56 |accessdate=25 October 2019}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1996|8|8|df=y}}{{cite web|title=Ben Close - profile|url=http://www1.skysports.com/football/player/128704/ben-close|publisher=Sky Sports|accessdate=2 September 2014}}
| birth_place = Portsmouth, England{{cite web|title=Eight get blues apprenticeships|url=http://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/LatestNews/academy/Eight-Get-Blues-Apprenticeships-3508.aspx|publisher=www.portsmouthfc.co.uk|accessdate=15 August 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120822082626/http://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/LatestNews/academy/Eight-Get-Blues-Apprenticeships-3508.aspx|archivedate=22 August 2012|df=dmy-all}}
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub = Eastleigh FC
| clubnumber = 22
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Portsmouth
| years1 = 2014–2021
| clubs1 = Portsmouth
| caps1 = 138
| goals1 = 14
| years2 = 2015
| clubs2 = → Poole Town (loan)
| caps2 = 7
| goals2 = 1
| years3 = 2017
| clubs3 = → Eastleigh (loan)
| caps3 = 9
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2021–
| clubs4 = Doncaster Rovers
| caps4 = 77
| goals4 = 5
| nationalyears1 =
| nationalteam1 =
| nationalcaps1 =
| nationalgoals1 =
| medaltemplates =
| club-update = 16:00, 12 January 2025 (UTC)
| nationalteam-update =
| years5 = 2025
| clubs5 = → Eastleigh (loan)
| caps5 = 0
| goals5 = 0
}}
Ben Easton Close (born 8 August 1996) is an English professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for National League club Eastleigh, on loan from Doncaster Rovers.
Career
=Portsmouth=
Born in Portsmouth, Close signed a two-year scholarship deal after spending many years in Portsmouth's youth categories. He was an unused substitute for a first team game on 3 May 2014 for a league game against Plymouth Argyle.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27168050 Portsmouth 3–3 Plymouth]; BBC Sport, 9 May 2014
On 9 May 2014, Close was offered a one-year professional contract with the club, alongside Bradley Tarbuck.[http://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/news/article/nine-players-released-1544121.aspx Nine players released]; Portsmouth FC, 9 May 2014 On 12 September 2014, he made his professional debut, coming on as a 43rd minute substitute for Nigel Atangana in a 3–1 away win against Yeovil Town, for the campaign's Football League Trophy.{{cite web|title=Yeovil 1-3 Portsmouth|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28932796|publisher=BBC Sport|date=2 September 2014|accessdate=2 September 2014}}
Close made his League Two debut on 16 September, again from the bench in a 3–0 home success against Dagenham & Redbridge.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/29121041|title=Portsmouth 3–0 Dag & Red|publisher=BBC Sport|date=16 September 2014|accessdate=20 September 2014}} After playing only 4 games for Pompey in 2016–17, on 31 January 2017, he joined National League side Eastleigh on loan until the end of the season.{{cite web|url=http://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/pompey-midfielder-ben-close-joins-eastleigh-on-loan-3547593.aspx|title=Close loaned to Eastleigh|publisher=Portsmouth FC|date=31 January 2017|accessdate=31 January 2017}}
On 26 May 2017 Close signed a new one-year contract at Pompey, with the club holding an option for an additional year.{{cite web|url=http://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/midfielder-ben-close-signs-new-pompey-deal-3725813.aspx|title=New Deal for Close|publisher=Portsmouth FC|date=26 May 2017|accessdate=26 May 2017}} On 17 December, after becoming a starter under new manager Kenny Jackett, he extended his contract until 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/news/2017/december/close-extends-pompey-contract/|title=Close Extends Pompey Contract|publisher=Portsmouth FC|date=17 December 2017|accessdate=30 December 2017}}
On 2 March 2019, Close scored his first professional brace in a 5–1 home victory over Bradford City.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47340165|title=Portsmouth 5-1 Bradford City|date=2019-03-02|access-date=2019-03-02|language=en-GB}}
=Doncaster Rovers=
Close signed for Doncaster Rovers on a three-year deal on 7 June 2021.{{Cite news|url=https://www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk/news/2021/june/close-becomes-first-summer-signing/|title=Close becomes first summer signing|date=2021-06-07|access-date=2021-06-07|language=en-GB}} On 1 February 2025, Close joined Eastleigh on loan for the remainder of the season.{{Cite web |url=https://www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk/news/2025/february/01/ben-close-heads-out-on-loan/ |access-date=2025-02-01 |website=www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk}}
Career statistics
{{updated|12 January 2025}}{{Soccerway|ben-close/339057}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" | |||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|FA Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division
!Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals | |||||||||
| rowspan="8" valign="center"|Portsmouth
|6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 2015–16
|League Two |7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| 2016–17
|League Two |0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 2017–18
|40 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 45 | 2 |
| 2018–19
|League One |34 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 46 | 9 |
| 2019–20
|League One |29 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 44 | 6 |
| 2020–21
|League One |22 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 28 | 1 |
| colspan="2"|Total
!138 | 14 | 16 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 29 | 1 | 190 | 18 |
| valign="center"|Poole Town (loan)
|5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 1 |
| valign="center"|Eastleigh (loan)
|9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| rowspan="4" |Doncaster Rovers
|League One |14 |0 |0 |0 |2 |0 |1{{efn|name=EFLT|Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy}} |0 |17 |0 | |||||||||
| 2022–23
|League Two |36 |2 |1 |0 |0 |0 |1{{efn|name=EFLT |
|0
|38
|2
|-
|League Two
|20
|3
|2
|0
|0
|0
|5{{efn|name=EFLT|}}
|1
|27
|4
|-
|League Two
|7
|0
|1
|0
|0
|0
|3{{efn|name=EFLT|}}
|0
|11
|0
|-
|
! colspan="2" |Total
!77!!5!!4!!0!!2!!0!!10!!1!!93!!6
|-
! colspan="3" |Career total
!229!!19!!20!!2!!9!!1!!42!!3!!300!!25
|}
{{notelist}}
Honours
Portsmouth
- EFL Trophy: 2018–19;{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47709134 |title=Portsmouth 2–2 Sunderland |first=Adam |last=Williams |publisher=BBC Sport |date=31 March 2019 |accessdate=6 May 2019}} runner-up: 2019–20{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56320947 |title=Portsmouth 0–0 Salford City |first=Adam |last=Williams |website=BBC Sport |date=13 March 2021 |access-date=15 March 2021}}
Doncaster Rovers
- EFL League Two: 2024–25{{cite web |url=https://www.soccerbase.com/tournaments/tournament.sd?tourn_id=2110 |title=League Two: 2024/25: Current table |website=Soccerbase |publisher=Centurycomm |access-date=3 May 2025}}
{{cite web |url=https://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=800&teamTabs=stats&season_id=157 |title=Doncaster: Squad details: 2024/25 |website=Soccerbase |publisher=Centurycomm |access-date=3 May 2025}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerbase}}
{{Doncaster Rovers F.C. squad}}
{{Doncaster Rovers F.C. Player of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Close, Ben}}
Category:Footballers from Portsmouth
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Portsmouth F.C. players
Category:Poole Town F.C. players
Category:Eastleigh F.C. players
Category:Doncaster Rovers F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:National League (English football) players