Jack Lankester
{{short description|English footballer}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Jack Lankester
| image =
| caption =
| fullname = Jack Richard Lankester{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/efl-documents/efl-released-and-retained-list---2016-17.pdf |title=EFL Released and Retained List 2016–17 |publisher=English Football League |accessdate=22 August 2017}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2000|1|19|df=y}}
| birth_place = Bury St Edmunds, England
| height = {{convert|1.77|m|order=flip}}{{soccerway|530226|accessdate=21 March 2020}}
| position = Winger
| currentclub = Crewe Alexandra
| clubnumber = 14
| youthclubs1 = Ipswich Town
| youthyears1 = 2006–2018
| clubs1 = Ipswich Town
| years1 = 2018–2021
| caps1 = 28
| goals1 = 3
| clubs2 = → Bury Town (loan)
| years2 = 2018
| caps2 = 6
| goals2 = 3
| clubs3 = Cambridge United
| years3 = 2021–2024
| caps3 = 100
| goals3 = 6
| clubs4 = Crewe Alexandra
| years4 = 2024–
| caps4 = 18
| goals4 = 7
| club-update = 19:09, 5 January 2025 (UTC)
}}
Jack Richard Lankester (born 19 January 2000) is an English professional footballer who plays as a winger for {{English football updater|CreweAle}} club Crewe Alexandra, having previously played for Ipswich Town and Cambridge United.{{Cite web | url = https://www.itfc.co.uk/teams/first-team/forward/jack-lankester/ | title = Jack Lankester | publisher = Ipswich Town | accessdate = 1 January 2019 | archive-date = 22 July 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190722184711/https://www.itfc.co.uk/teams/first-team/forward/jack-lankester/ | url-status = dead }}
Club career
=Ipswich Town=
Born in Bury St Edmunds, Lankester attended King Edward VI School, Bury St Edmunds{{Cite web|date=11 January 2020|title=Lankester targeting Ipswich Town return before end of season|url=https://www.buryfreepress.co.uk/sport/lankester-targeting-ipswich-town-return-before-end-of-season-9096072/|access-date=21 July 2020|website=Bury Free Press|language=en}} and grew up supporting Ipswich Town.{{Cite web | url = https://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/no-easing-up-from-jack-lankester-1-6073036 | title = Big interview: 'This is my club' – Jack Lankester on his journey from Ipswich Town fan to first team player| publisher = East Anglian Daily Times | accessdate = 10 July 2019 | date = 28 May 2019}} He joined the Ipswich youth system aged six, progressing through the club's academy before earning a scholarship aged 14. In March 2018 he joined hometown team Bury Town on a work experience loan.[https://www.buryfreepress.co.uk/sport/lankester-out-to-prove-himself-on-home-turf-1-8437710/ Lankester out to prove himself on home turf] Bury Free Press, 30 March 2018 He progressed from the under-18 team through to the under-23s during 2018, enjoying impressive scoring form, including a brace in a 2–1 win over Dagenham & Redbridge in the FA Youth Cup on 16 January 2018.{{cite news |title=FA Youth Cup – Town 2 Dagenham 1 |url=https://www.itfc.co.uk/matches/fixtures/u182/201718/january/dagenham--redbridge-h/ |publisher=Ipswich Town |date=16 January 2018 |accessdate=10 July 2019}}
After being involved in the first team squad during the 2018–19 pre-season, he signed his first professional contract with the club on 17 August 2018, signing a two-year deal with the option of a further year's extension.{{Cite web | url = https://www.itfc.co.uk/news/2018/august/jack-lankester-pens-his-first-professional-contract-at-ipswich-town/ | title = Lankester Signs Pro Deal| publisher = Ipswich Town | accessdate = 10 July 2019 | date = 17 August 2018}} He made his professional debut for the club on 21 October 2018, coming on as a substitute in a 2–0 home defeat to Queens Park Rangers.{{Cite web | url = https://www.itfc.co.uk/news/2018/october/town-v-qpr/ | title = Town 0 QPR 2 | publisher = Ipswich Town | accessdate = 21 October 2018 | date = 21 October 2018}} After making his second first-team appearance, Lankester was placed on standby for the England U19 national team in November 2018.{{Cite web | url = https://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/lambert-to-watch-town-trio-in-action-for-england-u20s-1-5783310 | title = Lambert to watch Town trio in action for England U20s tonight | publisher = East Anglian Daily Times | accessdate = 19 November 2018 | date = 20 November 2020}} He scored his first goal for the club in a 3–2 home defeat to Millwall on 1 January 2019.{{Cite web | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46677122 | title = Ipswich 2–3 Millwall| publisher = BBC Sport| accessdate = 1 January 2019| date = 1 January 2019}} On 7 January 2019, he signed a new three-year contract at the club.{{Cite web | url = https://www.itfc.co.uk/news/2019/january/lankester-signs-new-deal/ | title = New Deal for Jack| publisher = Ipswich Town| accessdate = 10 July 2019| date = 7 January 2019}} He made 11 appearances in his debut senior season at Portman Road, with it being cut short in February 2019 due to suffering a back injury which put him out for the rest of the season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/jack-lankester-out-injured-for-longer-than-first-feared-1-5883165|title=Lankester out for extended spell with stress fracture in his back|first=Andy|last=Warren|website=East Anglian Daily Times|date=7 February 2019}} His impressive progress and lone goal earned him the club's Young Player of the Year award for the 2018–19 season.{{cite news |title=Chambo Named Player Of The Year |url=https://www.itfc.co.uk/news/2019/april/chambers-named-player-of-the-year/ |publisher=Ipswich Town F.C. |date=13 April 2019 |accessdate=4 May 2019}}
He recovered and returned to the first team for pre-season, but suffered another stress fracture injury to his back in a friendly against Fortuna Düsseldorf in July. Lankaster subsequently underwent surgery which ruled him out until April 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/jack-lankester-out-for-five-months-1-6208511|title=Lankester sidelined until 2020 as he prepares for surgery on second stress fracture in back|first=Andy|last=Warren|website=East Anglian Daily Times|date=9 August 2019}} Due to this injury and the season being suspended and later ended by the COVID-19 pandemic, Lankester made no appearances during the 2019–20 season.
Lankester returned to first-team action during the 2020–21 pre-season. He made his first appearance in almost 20 months as a substitute in a 2–0 away win over Bristol Rovers on 19 September 2020, crossing the ball into the box to force an own goal from Max Ehmer to open the scoring, before providing an assist for the second goal from Jon Nolan.{{cite news |title=Bristol Rovers 0 – 2 Ipswich Town |url=https://www.itfc.co.uk/matches/fixtures/first-team/202021/september/bristol-rovers-vs-ipswich-town-on-19-sep-20/ |publisher=Ipswich Town F.C. |date=19 September 2020 |accessdate=20 November 2020}} He scored his first goal following his comeback from injury against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on 3 November 2020.{{cite news |title=Sunderland 2 – 1 Ipswich Town |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54700595 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=3 November 2020 |accessdate=20 November 2020}} In the following league game, Lankester scored a 97th-minute winner in a 2–1 home win over Shrewsbury Town.{{cite news |title=Ipswich Town 2 – 1 Shrewsbury Town |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54941027 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=21 November 2020 |accessdate=21 November 2020}}
=Cambridge United=
On 25 June 2021, Lankester joined fellow East Anglia club Cambridge United for an undisclosed fee, ending his 15-year association with Ipswich Town.{{Cite web|url=https://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/ipswich-town/lankester-joins-cambridge-united-8088654|title = 'A fresh start is something I need' - Lankester signs for Cambridge United|date = 25 June 2021}} On 1 May 2024, the club put the player on the transfer list.{{Cite web |date=2024-05-01 |title=Cambridge United: Ryan Bennett, Lyle Taylor among seven to leave |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cv2rd434rxjo |access-date=2024-05-01 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}
=Crewe Alexandra=
On 27 June 2024, Lankester joined League Two side Crewe Alexandra on a three-year deal.{{cite news |title=Lankester joins Crewe |url=https://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-news/47360 |access-date=27 June 2024 |work=TWTD |date=27 June 2024}} He made his debut in the side's League Two opener away at Barrow,{{Cite web |title=Barrow 1-0 Crewe Alexandra |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/ckgw0wlrnx6t |access-date=2024-08-11 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}} and scored his first Crewe goal in the side's 3–0 win over Harrogate Town at Gresty Road on 21 September 2024.{{cite news |title=Crewe Alexandra 3-0 Harrogate Town |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cvg3l1e35jvt |access-date=21 September 2024 |work=BBC Sport |date=21 September 2024}}
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 5 January 2025}}
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
Honours
Individual
- Ipswich Town Young Player of the Year: 2018–19
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.itfc.co.uk/teams/first-team/midfielder/jack-lankester/ Jack Lankester profile] at the Ipswich Town F.C. website
- {{soccerbase|id=116465|name=Jack Lankester}}
{{Crewe Alexandra F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lankester, Jack}}
Category:Footballers from Bury St Edmunds
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Men's association football wingers
Category:Ipswich Town F.C. players
Category:Bury Town F.C. players
Category:Cambridge United F.C. players
Category:Isthmian League players
Category:English Football League players
Category:People educated at King Edward VI School, Bury St Edmunds