George Sykes (footballer)
{{short description|English footballer}}
{{for|the goalkeeper|George Sykes-Kenworthy}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2015}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = George Sykes
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|09|14|df=y}}
| birth_place = Buckhurst Hill, England
| height =
| position = Forward
| currentclub = Enfield Town
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Buckhurst Hill
| youthyears2 = {{0|0000}}–2012
| youthclubs2 = Barnet
| years1 = 2012–2015
| clubs1 = Barnet
| caps1 = 7
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2013
| clubs2 = → Bishop's Stortford (loan)
| caps2 = 12
| goals2 = 2
| years3 = 2014
| clubs3 = → Farnborough (loan)
| caps3 = 8
| goals3 = 1
| years4 = 2014
| clubs4 = → St Albans City (loan)
| caps4 = 7
| goals4 = 2
| years5 = 2014–2015
| clubs5 = → Bishop's Stortford (loan)
| caps5 = 14
| goals5 = 1
| years6 = 2015
| clubs6 = → Canvey Island (loan)
| caps6 = 19
| goals6 = 8
| years7 = 2015–2016
| clubs7 = Dartford
| caps7 = 25
| goals7 = 1
| years8 = 2015
| clubs8 = → Canvey Island (loan)
| caps8 = 4
| goals8 = 1
| years9 = 2016–2017
| clubs9 = Canvey Island
| caps9 = 45
| goals9 = 18
| years10 = 2017
| clubs10 = Braintree Town
| caps10 = 0
| goals10 = 0
| years11 = 2017–2018
| clubs11 = Canvey Island
| caps11 = 47
| goals11 = 25
| years12 = 2018
| clubs12 = Maldon & Tiptree
| caps12 = 7
| goals12 = 2
| years13 = 2018–2019
| clubs13 = Tilbury
| caps13 = 32
| goals13 = 11
| years14 = 2019–2023
| clubs14 = Aveley
| caps14 = 100
| goals14 = 49
| years15 = 2023
| clubs15 = Bishop's Stortford
| caps15 = 6
| goals15 = 0
| years16 = 2023–
| clubs16 = Enfield Town
| caps16 = 0
| goals16 = 0
| club-update = 19:50, 7 October 2023 (UTC)
}}
George Robert James Sykes (born 14 September 1994) is an English footballer who plays as a forward for Enfield Town.
Club career
Sykes joined the Barnet youth team as an under-16 from hometown club Buckhurst Hill{{cite web|title=Hall of Fame|url=https://www.bhfc.co.uk/hall-of-fame|accessdate=29 August 2020|publisher=Buckhurst Hill F.C.}} and was top scorer in the English U-18 youth system in the 2011–12 season with 24 goals.[http://www.barnetfc.com/team/Youth_Team_Profiles.aspx Youth Team Profiles] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120830235746/http://www.barnetfc.com/team/Youth_Team_Profiles.aspx |date=30 August 2012 }} He made his senior debut at the age of 17 against Bristol Rovers on 21 August 2012.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19252335 Barnet 1 – 1 Bristol Rovers] Sykes signed his first professional contract with the Bees in November 2012.[http://www.barnetfc.com/news/article/signing-george-sykes-510893.aspx Sykes signs] He won the League Two Apprentice of the Year award at the Football League Awards in March 2013.[http://www.times-series.co.uk/sport/10311006.Sykes_named_League_Two_Apprentice_of_the_Year/ Barnet striker George Sykes named LFE Apprentice of the Year for League 2] On 15 August 2013, he joined Bishop's Stortford on loan.[http://www.barnetfc.com/news/article/sykes-and-lowe-leave-on-loan-994284.aspx Sykes and Lowe leave on loan]
On his return to Barnet in November, Sykes came on as substitute at home to Cambridge United. With the score at 2–2, Sykes put the ball in the net in injury time after it had dropped from a cloud of smoke caused by a smoke bomb, obscuring the view of the assistant referee, who controversially disallowed the goal, claiming the ball had gone out of play, and Sykes was denied his first goal for Barnet.{{cite news |last1=Hewett |first1=Chris |title=Barnet Football Club appeals to supporters to come forward over smoke bomb let off at The Hive, in Edgware |url=https://www.times-series.co.uk/sport/10819125.barnet-football-club-appeals-to-supporters-to-come-forward-over-smoke-bomb-let-off-at-the-hive-in-edgware/ |accessdate=21 October 2020 |work=Times Series |date=19 November 2013}}{{cite web |last1=Davies |first1=Huw |title=Why setting off a smoke bomb could cost your team a goal |url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/why-setting-smoke-bomb-could-cost-your-team-goal |website=FourFourTwo |accessdate=21 October 2020 |date=18 November 2013}} His first goal for Barnet came on 30 November, when he scored an 89th minute acrobatic winner in an FA Trophy first round tie against Hayes & Yeading United.[http://www.times-series.co.uk/sport/10847133.Last_minute_Sykes_goal_helps_Bees_progress/ Last minute Sykes goal helps Bees progress]
Sykes joined Farnborough on loan on 31 January 2014, along with Jon Nurse.[http://www.barnetfc.com/news/article/duo-join-farnborough-on-loan-1330640.aspx Duo join Farnborough on loan] On 13 March, he joined St Albans City on loan until the end of the season,[http://www.sacfc.co.uk/index.php/the-club/2012-04-10-18-56-53/latest-club-news/2600-sykes-joins-on-loan.html Sykes joins on loan] and was part of the team that won the Southern Football League Premier Division play-offs.[http://www.stalbansreview.co.uk/sport/11192763.Frendo_celebrates_with_a_double_as_Saints_secure_promotion/ Frendo celebrates with a double as Saints secure promotion]
Sykes re-joined Bishop's Stortford on loan on 22 August 2014 until 1 January.{{Cite web |url=http://www.bsfc.co.uk/george-hes-back/ |title=By George - he's back! |access-date=24 August 2014 |archive-date=13 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141013210512/http://www.bsfc.co.uk/george-hes-back/ |url-status=dead }} Two weeks after his return from loan, he went out on loan for a fifth time, at Canvey Island.[http://canveyislandfc.com/news/2015/01/new-striker-joins-ahead-hendon-trip New striker joins ahead of Hendon trip]
Sykes joined Dartford on a free transfer in June 2015.{{cite web| url=http://www.dartfordfconline.com/site/?q=news/3574| title=More player news - Friday 5 June| url-status=usurped| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150613072329/http://www.dartfordfconline.com/site/?q=news%2F3574 |archive-date=13 June 2015 }} After scoring only one goal in the National League South in the entire 2015–16 season, Sykes rejoined Canvey Island for 2016–17.
On 15 June 2017, after an impressive campaign with Canvey Island, Sykes joined National League South side Braintree Town.{{Cite news |title=Sykes leaves Canvey...but six new faces join club |url=http://www.echo-news.co.uk/sport/15352130.Sykes_leaves_Canvey___but_six_new_faces_join_club/?ref=rss |publisher=Basildon, Canvey, Southend Echo |date=16 June 2017 |accessdate=16 June 2017}}
On 20 July 2017, it was announced that Sykes had rejoined Canvey Island despite only recently signing for Braintree.{{Cite news |title=George Sykes is Back! |url=http://canveyislandfc.com/news/2017/07/george-sykes-back |publisher=Canvey Island FC |date=20 July 2017 |accessdate=20 July 2017}} Sykes joined Maldon & Tiptree in September 2018,{{cite web |url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/appearances/george-sykes/492722 |title=Appearances {{!}} George Sykes {{!}} Football Web Pages.co.uk |website=www.footballwebpages.co.uk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916022617/https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/appearances/george-sykes/492722 |archive-date=2018-09-16}} before joining Tilbury in November.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20181109043231/http://nonleaguedaily.com/tilbury-and-merstham-strengthen-squads/ Tilbury and Merstham strengthen squads]}} He then left in October 2019 to join Aveley.[https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/aveley/news/geroge-sykes-signs-2475246.html George Sykes Signs]
Following Aveley's promotion through the Isthmian League Premier Division play-offs, Sykes departed to return to Bishop's Stortford, also newly promoted to the National League North.{{cite web|url=https://www.bsfc.co.uk/club-news/sykes-is-back/|title=SYKES IS BACK|website=www.bsfc.co.uk|date=28 May 2023|accessdate=31 May 2023}}
International career
In September 2012, Sykes was called up by Ricky Sbragia to the Scotland U-19 training camp ahead of qualifying games against Armenia, Romania and Switzerland in October 2012.[http://www.barnetfc.com/news/article/sykes-scotland-24.09.12-388079.aspx Scotland summon Sykes]
Career statistics
{{updated|7 October 2023}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||
| 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="4"|Barnet
|2012–13{{Soccerbase season|66109|2012|name=George Sykes|access-date=10 September 2014}} |3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2013–14{{Cite web
| title = George Sykes - Soccerway | url = https://int.soccerway.com/players/george-sykes/259166/ | publisher = Soccerway | accessdate = 10 September 2014}} |4 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 1Appearance in FA Trophy | 1 | 5 | 1 | |||
| 2014–15
|0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 1 | |
| Bishop's Stortford (loan)
| title = George Sykes - Aylesbury United profile | url = http://www.aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk/players/george-sykes#playingcareer | publisher = Aylesbury United F.C. | accessdate = 6 June 2015}} |12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 13 | 2 | |||
| Farnborough (loan)
|Conference South |8 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 8 | 1 | ||||
| St Albans City (loan)
|Southern League Premier Division |7 | 2 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 2Appearances in Southern League Premier Division play-offs | 0 | 9 | 2 | |||
| Bishop's Stortford (loan)
| title = George Sykes - Bishop's Stortford profile | url = http://www.bsfc.co.uk/first-team/fixtures-and-results-201415/ | publisher = Bishop's Stortford F.C. | accessdate = 6 June 2015}} |Conference South |14 | 1 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | 17 | 1 | ||
| Canvey Island (loan)
| title = George Sykes - Canvey Island profile | url = http://canveyislandfc.com/1st-team/player-stats?sid=12 | publisher = Canvey Island F.C. | accessdate = 6 June 2015}} |Isthmian League Premier Division |19 | 8 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 19 | 8 | ||||
| rowspan="1"|Dartford
| title = Games played by George Sykes in 2015/2016 | url = http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=66109&season_id=142 | publisher = Soccerbase | accessdate = 8 August 2015}} |25 | 1 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | 26 | 1 | ||
| Canvey Island (loan)
|Isthmian League Premier Division |4 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 4 | 1 | ||||
| rowspan="4"|Canvey Island
|Isthmian League Premier Division |45 | 18 | 3 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | 3One appearance and two goals in FA Trophy, two appearances in Isthmian League Cup | 2 | 51 | 21 | ||
| 2017–18
|Isthmian League Division One North |43 | 25 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 4Two appearances and one goal in Essex Senior Cup, one appearance in Alan Turvey Trophy, one in FA Trophy | 1 | 48 | 26 | ||
| 2018–19https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/appearances/george-sykes/120251 {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}
|Isthmian League Division One North |4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 1One appearance in Alan Turvey Trophy | 0 | 6 | 0 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!92 | 43 | 5 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | 8 | 3 | 105 | 47 | ||
| Maldon & Tiptree
|Isthmian League Division One North |7 | 2 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 2 | 0 | 9 | 2 | |||
| rowspan="3"|Tilbury
|2018–19{{Cite web|url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/appearances/george-sykes/550374|title = Appearances | George Sykes | Football Web Pages}} |Isthmian League Division One North |25 | 10 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | 25 | 10 | |||
| 2019–20
|Isthmian League Division One North |7 | 1 | 2 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | 10 | 2 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!32 | 11 | 2 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | 35 | 12 | ||
| rowspan="5"|Aveley
|2019–20{{Cite web|url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/aveley/appearances/george-sykes/550374|title=Aveley | Appearances | George Sykes | Football Web Pages}} |Isthmian League Division One North |17 | 12 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 11Ten appearances and four goals in FA Trophy, one appearance in Essex Senior Cup | 4 | 28 | 16 | |||
| 2020–21{{cite web|url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/aveley/appearances/2020-2021/george-sykes/550374|title=Aveley – Appearances – George Sykes – 2020-2021|website=www.footballwebpages.co.uk|accessdate=31 May 2023}}
|Isthmian League North Division |6 | 2 | 4 | 3 | colspan="2"|— | 2{{efn|name=FAT}} | 2 | 12 | 7 | ||
| 2021–22{{cite web|url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/aveley/appearances/2021-2022/george-sykes/550374|title=Aveley – Appearances – George Sykes – 2021-2022|website=www.footballwebpages.co.uk|accessdate=31 May 2023}}
|Isthmian League North Division |37 | 20 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 3{{efn|One appearance in FA Trophy, one appearance in Alan Turvey Trophy and one appearance in Essex County Cup}} | 0 | 43 | 20 | ||
| 2022–23{{cite web|url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/aveley/appearances/george-sykes/550374|title=Aveley – Appearances – George Sykes|website=www.footballwebpages.co.uk|accessdate=31 May 2023}}
|Isthmian League Premier Division |40 | 15 | 2 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | 7{{efn|One appearance, one goal in FA Trophy, four appearances, one goal in Alan Turvey Trophy and two appearances in Isthmian League Premier Division play-offs}} | 3 | 49 | 19 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!100 | 49 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 9 | 132 | 62 | |
| rowspan="1"|Bishop's Stortford
|6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||
| rowspan="1"|Enfield Town
|Isthmian League Premier Division |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2|— | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!331 | 121 | 20 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 14 | 393 | 130 |
{{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerbase}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sykes, George}}
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Scottish men's footballers
Category:Bishop's Stortford F.C. players
Category:Farnborough F.C. players
Category:St Albans City F.C. players
Category:Canvey Island F.C. players
Category:Dartford F.C. players
Category:Braintree Town F.C. players
Category:Maldon & Tiptree F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:National League (English football) players
Category:Isthmian League players
Category:Southern Football League players
Category:People from Buckhurst Hill
Category:Footballers from Essex