Harry Clifton (footballer, born 1998)
{{Short description|Welsh footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2016}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Harry Clifton
| image =
| fullname = Harry Louis Clifton{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/image/201920/general-news/efl-squad-numbering-06.09.2019.pdf |title=Notification of shirt numbers: Grimsby Town |publisher=English Football League |page=31 |accessdate=21 October 2019}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|6|12|df=y}}
| birth_place = Grimsby, England
| height =
| position = Midfielder, Winger
| currentclub = Doncaster Rovers
| clubnumber = 15
| youthyears1 = 2007–2015
| youthclubs1 = Grimsby Town
| years1 = 2015–2024
| clubs1 = Grimsby Town
| caps1 = 238
| goals1 = 21
| years2 = 2016–2017
| clubs2 = → Grantham Town (loan)
| caps2 = 38
| goals2 = 5
| years3 = 2024–
| clubs3 = Doncaster Rovers
| caps3 = 32
| goals3 = 4
| nationalyears1 = 2019–2020
| nationalteam1 = Wales U21
| nationalcaps1 = 6
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| club-update = 17:30, 8 March 2025 (UTC)
}}
Harry Louis Clifton (born 12 June 1998) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder and winger for {{English football updater|DoncastR}} club Doncaster Rovers. He is a former Wales under-21 international.
Club career
=Grimsby Town=
Clifton joined Grimsby Town as an under-10 and progressed through the club's youth system.{{cite news |first=Liam |last=Wood |title=Grimsby Town graduates Harry Clifton and Max Wright on their Blundell Park journey |url=https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/grimsby-town-graduates-harry-clifton-1831947 |newspaper=Grimsby Telegraph |date=27 July 2018 |accessdate=4 December 2018}}
Clifton signed his first professional contract in July 2015.{{cite news |title=Grimsby Town: Harry Clifton signs two-year deal |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/33513051/ |publisher=BBC Sport |date=13 July 2015}} He joined NPL Premier Division side Grantham Town in September 2016, initially on a month's loan deal.{{cite news |title=Young Grimsby Town duo set to follow Harry Clifton out on loan |url=http://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/young-grimsby-town-duo-set-to-follow-harry-clifton-out-on-loan/story-29722564-detail/story.html |newspaper=Grimsby Telegraph |date=16 September 2016 }}{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=Nelly GTFC |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite news |title=Harry Makes Loan Move |url=https://www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/news/2016/september/harry-makes-loan-move/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180201073117/https://www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/news/2016/september/harry-makes-loan-move/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=1 February 2018 |publisher=Grimsby Town F.C. |date=15 September 2016 |accessdate=1 February 2018}} After impressing in his initial loan, it was then extended another two months.{{cite news |first=Simon |last=Hayes |title=Wildin and Clifton extend their time with The Gingerbreads |url=http://www.granthamtownfc.com/teams/59867/news/wildin-and-clifton-extend-their-time-with-the-ging-1708216.html |publisher=Grantham Town F.C. |date=13 October 2016 |accessdate=1 February 2018 |archive-date=13 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413190143/http://www.granthamtownfc.com/teams/59867/news/wildin-and-clifton-extend-their-time-with-the-ging-1708216.html |url-status=dead }} After scoring 3 goals in 21 appearances, his loan was extended in December 2016 until the end of the 2016–17 season.{{cite news |first=Simon |last=Hayes |title=Harry Clifton Stays! |url=http://www.granthamtownfc.com/teams/59867/news/harry-clifton-stays-1733472.html |publisher=Grantham Town F.C. |date=15 December 2016 |accessdate=1 February 2018 |archive-date=13 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413194920/http://www.granthamtownfc.com/teams/59867/news/harry-clifton-stays-1733472.html |url-status=dead }} Clifton made 47 appearances for them, scoring six goals.{{cite web |url=http://www.granthamtownfc.com/teams/59867/player/harry-clifton-1756044/44400 |title=Harry Clifton |publisher=Grantham Town F.C. |access-date=11 October 2017 |archive-date=13 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413185801/http://www.granthamtownfc.com/teams/59867/player/harry-clifton-1756044/44400 |url-status=dead }} He returned to Grimsby in May 2017, signing another two-year deal.{{cite news |title=Young midfielder Harry Clifton's one-year contract extension confirmed by Grimsby Town |url=http://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/young-midfielder-harry-clifton-s-one-year-contract-extension-confirmed-by-grimsby-town/story-30351264-detail/story.html |newspaper=Grimsby Telegraph |date=24 May 2017}}{{dead link |date=February 2018 |bot=Nelly GTFC |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite news |title=Harry Clifton: Young midfielder signs one-year contract extension with Grimsby |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40031007 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=24 May 2017 |accessdate=1 February 2018}}
Clifton made his full debut on 29 August 2017 in the EFL Trophy against Doncaster Rovers.{{cite news |first=Liam |last=Wood |title=Grimsby Town midfielder Harry Clifton 'buzzing' to make full debut against Doncaster Rovers |url=https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/grimsby-town-midfielder-harry-clifton-398448 |newspaper=Grimsby Telegraph |date=30 August 2017 |accessdate=1 February 2018}} He made his professional League Two debut on 30 January 2018, coming on as a 79th-minute substitute, in a 3–0 defeat at Yeovil Town.{{cite news |title=Yeovil 3–0 Grimsby |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42784062 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=15 May 2016 |accessdate=1 February 2018}} Clifton made his full league debut against Exeter City on 24 February.{{cite news |first=Liam |last=Wood |title=Grimsby Town 0-1 Exeter City PLAYER RATINGS - Clifton impresses on full League Two debut |url=https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/grimsby-town-0-1-exeter-1260055 |newspaper=Grimsby Telegraph |date=24 February 2018 |accessdate=26 February 2018}}
He signed a new three-year contract with Grimsby in June 2018.{{cite web |title=Harry Clifton: Grimsby Town midfielder signs new three-year deal |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44384413 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=6 June 2018}}
Clifton scored his first professional league goal on 27 November 2018, scoring an equaliser in the 33rd minute with a header, in a 5–2 win against Tranmere Rovers.{{cite web |title=Grimsby 5–2 Tranmere |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46270810 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=27 November 2018 |accessdate=4 December 2018}} Three days later, he scored Grimsby's second goal on 70-minutes in the FA Cup second round, racing through on goal scoring a follow-up after his initial shot was saved, in a 2–0 victory against National League side Chesterfield.{{cite web |title=Chesterfield 0–2 Grimsby |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46332898 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=2 December 2018 |accessdate=4 December 2018}}
Clifton played the full 120 minutes of the 2022 National League play-off final as Grimsby beat Solihull Moors 2–1 at the London Stadium to return to the Football League.{{cite news | url=https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/grimsby-town-ratings-solihull-moors-7167271 | title=Grimsby Town player ratings as McAtee and four others star in Solihull comeback | newspaper=Grimsbylive | date=5 June 2022 }}
On 24 June 2022, Clifton signed a new two-year deal with The Mariners.{{cite news | url=https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/harry-clifton-signs-new-two-7253375 | title=Academy product Harry Clifton signs new two-year deal with Grimsby Town | newspaper=Grimsbylive | date=24 June 2022 }}
Clifton was part of the Grimsby team that reached the FA Cup quarter final for the first time since 1939, he played the full 90 minutes of the 2–1 win away at Premier League side Southampton that secured that achievement.{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64799742 | title=Grimsby stun Southampton to reach FA Cup last eight | work=BBC Sport }}{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64984194 | title=Brighton end Grimsby's run to reach FA Cup semis | work=BBC Sport }}
On 5 May 2023, Clifton won the Supporters' Player of the Year award, and four other awards, at the club's annual Player of the Season awards night.
Following the conclusion of the 2023–24 season, Clifton was offered a new contract.{{cite web|url=https://gtfc.co.uk/retained-and-released-list-2023-24/|title=Retained and Released List 2023/24|website=gtfc.co.uk|date=30 April 2024|accessdate=3 June 2024}} On 2 June 2024, the club announced that Clifton would be departing the club upon the expiration of his contract at the end of the month.{{cite tweet|number=1797222346937278808|title=𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙤𝙬𝙣! 🫡 We would like to wish Harry all the best in his next chapter following the expiry of his contract. 💭 We've made some special memories together! #GTFC|user=officialgtfc|author-link=Grimsby Town F.C.|date=2 June 2024|accessdate=3 June 2024}}
=Doncaster Rovers=
On 2 June 2024, Clifton was announced to have agreed a two-year deal with Doncaster Rovers with the club holding the option for a further twelve months.{{cite web|url=https://www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk/news/2024/june/clifton-signs/|title=Rovers secure deal for midfielder Harry Clifton|website=www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk|date=2 June 2024|accessdate=3 June 2024}}
International career
Clifton was called up to the Wales Under-21's squad to join their training camp at the end of March 2019.
Career statistics
{{updated|match played on 8 March 2025}}
{{notelist}}
Honours
Grimsby Town
- National League play-offs: 2022
Individual
- Grimsby Town Player of the Year: 2022–23{{cite news|url=https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/football/harry-clifton-on-recognition-from-grimsby-town-fans-as-he-sweeps-up-end-of-season-awards/ar-AA1aPCQ5 |title=Harry Clifton on recognition from Grimsby Town fans as he sweeps up end-of-season awards |author=Sam Allen |publisher=MSN |date=7 May 2023 |access-date=10 May 2023}}
- Grimsby Town Young Player of the Year: 2017–18, 2018–19
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20171011232628/https://www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/teams/first-team/midfielder/harry-clifton/ Harry Clifton profile]}} at the Grimsby Town F.C. website
- {{Soccerbase}}
{{Doncaster Rovers F.C. squad}}
{{Grimsby Town F.C. Player of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clifton, Harry}}
Category:Footballers from Grimsby
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Welsh men's footballers
Category:21st-century Welsh sportsmen
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Grimsby Town F.C. players
Category:Grantham Town F.C. players
Category:Doncaster Rovers F.C. players
Category:Northern Premier League players
Category:English Football League players