Ben Hedley
{{short description|English footballer (born 1998)}}
{{use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{use British English|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Ben Hedley
| image =
| caption =
| fullname = Ben Hedley{{cite web |title=Retained List 2016–17 |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/efl-documents/efl-released-and-retained-list---2016-17.pdf |publisher=English Football League |access-date=16 January 2018}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1998|10|18|df=y}}
| birth_place = Gateshead, England
| height =
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub = Darlington
| clubnumber = 2
| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2017 | youthclubs1 = Morecambe
| years1 = 2017–2019 | clubs1 = Morecambe | caps1 = 2 | goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2017 | clubs2 = → Witton Albion (loan) | caps2 = 17 | goals2 = 1
| years3 = 2019 | clubs3 = Bradford (Park Avenue) | caps3 = 7 | goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2019– | clubs4 = Darlington | caps4 = 164 | goals4 = 0
| club-update = 08:57, 22 April 2025 (UTC)
}}
Ben Hedley (born 18 October 1998) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for {{English football updater|Darlingt}} 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).
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.{{cite news|title=Luton Town 3-1 Morecambe|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39753912|access-date=19 October 2017|website=BBC Sport|date=6 May 2017}} He signed his first professional contract with the club the following month.{{cite news|title=Bentley hails academy improvements after signing three more youngsters|url=http://www.thevisitor.co.uk/sport/football/bentley-hails-academy-improvements-after-signing-three-more-youngsters-1-8609878|access-date=19 October 2017|newspaper=The Visitor |location=Morecambe |date=23 June 2017}}
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".{{cite web|title=Ben Hedley loan|url=https://www.morecambefc.com/news/2017/august/ben-hedley-loan/|access-date=19 October 2017|website=Morecambe F.C. |date=15 August 2017}} His loan spell was extended into a second month after he impressed in his first eight starts for the club,{{cite news|last1=Simpson|first1=Andrew|title=Hedley extends loan stay with Witton|url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/15538872.Hedley_extends_loan_stay_with_Witton/|access-date=19 October 2017|newspaper=Lancashire Telegraph|date=15 September 2017}} 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.{{cite news |url=https://www.northwichguardian.co.uk/sport/15597002.witton-albion-follow-midweek-victory-with-another-after-scoring-five-times-against-coalville-town/ |title=Witton Albion follow midweek victory with another after scoring five times against Coalville Town |first=Andrew |last=Simpson |newspaper=Northwich Guardian |date=14 October 2017 |access-date=8 September 2017}}
Hedley was named Morecambe's Reserve Team Player of the Year for 2017–18.{{cite news |url=https://www.morecambefc.com/news/2018/april/morecambe-fc-player-of-the-year-2017-18/ |title=Player of the Year awards |website=Morecambe F.C. |date=29 April 2018 |access-date=8 September 2019}} In 2018–19, he featured twice in the EFL Trophy, 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".{{cite news |url=https://www.lep.co.uk/sport/football/morecambe-fc/morecambe-0-mansfield-1-another-home-loss-for-shrimps-1-9410747 |title=Morecambe 0, Mansfield 1: Another home loss for Shrimps |first=Derek |last=Quinn |newspaper=Lancashire Post |date=24 October 2018 |access-date=8 September 2019}} Despite being named as a substitute on 38 occasions, he made no more league appearances and was released at the end of the season.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48184748|title=Morecambe release five players but extend the deals of four more|date=7 May 2019|access-date=8 May 2019|website=BBC Sport}}
On 7 June 2019, Hedley joined National League North club Bradford (Park Avenue), managed by Garry Thompson with whom he had played at Morecambe.{{cite web |url=https://bpafc.com/ben-hedley-joins-bradford-park-avenue/ |title=Ben Hedley joins Bradford (Park Avenue)] |website=Bradford (Park Avenue) A.F.C. |date=7 June 2019 |access-date=8 September 2019}} Thompson was dismissed just two matches into the season,{{cite news |url=https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/17823704.bradford-park-avenue-sack-thompson-gardner/ |title=Bradford (Park Avenue) sack Thompson and Gardner |newspaper=Telegraph and Argus |location=Bradford |date=8 August 2019 |access-date=8 September 2019}} and Hedley played in seven before leaving for another National League North club, Darlington, in early September.{{cite news |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/17882910.hedley-joins-darlington-bradford-park-avenue/ |title=Hedley joins Darlington from Bradford Park Avenue |first=Craig |last=Stoddart |newspaper=The Northern Echo |location=Darlington |date=8 September 2019 |access-date=8 September 2019}}
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 21 April 2025}}
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Darlington F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hedley, Ben}}
Category:Footballers from Gateshead
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Morecambe F.C. players
Category:Witton Albion F.C. players
Category:Bradford (Park Avenue) A.F.C. players
Category:Darlington F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Northern Premier League players