Jack Sparkes

{{short description|English footballer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}

{{Use British English|date=November 2019}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Jack Sparkes

| image =

| fullname = Jack Sparkes{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/image/201920/general-news/efl-squad-numbering-06.09.2019.pdf |title=Notification of shirt numbers: Exeter City |publisher=English Football League |page=26 |accessdate=19 October 2019}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|2000|09|29}}{{cite web|title=First team – Midfielder – Jack Sparkes|url=https://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/teams/first-team/defender/jack-sparkes/|website=Exeter City FC official site|accessdate=6 October 2022}}

| birth_place = Exmouth, England

| height = {{convert|1.77|m|order=flip}}{{cite web |title=J. Sparkes: Summary |url=https://uk.soccerway.com/players/jack-sparkes/488825/ |website=Soccerway |publisher=Perform Group |access-date=11 October 2022 }}

| position = Left-back, left wing-back

| currentclub = Chesterfield (on loan from Peterborough United)

| clubnumber = 24

| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2017

| youthclubs1 = Exeter City

| years1 = 2017–2023

| clubs1 = Exeter City

| caps1 = 118

| goals1 = 6

| years2 = 2018

| clubs2 = → Chippenham Town (loan)

| caps2 = 3

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2018–2019

| clubs3 = → Salisbury (loan)

| caps3 = 21

| goals3 = 2

| years4 = 2021–2022

| clubs4 = → Torquay United (loan)

| caps4 = 3

| goals4 = 1

| years5 = 2023–2024

| clubs5 = Portsmouth

| caps5 = 38

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2024–

| clubs6 = Peterborough United

| caps6 = 15

| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2025–

| clubs7 = → Chesterfield (loan)

| caps7 = 0

| goals7 = 0

| club-update = 15:34, 20 January 2025 (UTC)

}}

Jack Sparkes (born 29 September 2000) is an English footballer who plays as a left-back or left wing-back for EFL League Two side Chesterfield on loan from {{English football updater|PeterboU}} club Peterborough United.

Career

=Exeter City and loans=

Sparkes began his career with Exeter City and made his professional debut for the Grecians on 12 August 2017 in a 1–1 away draw at Swindon Town.{{cite news|last1=Strange|first1=Ben|title=Swindon Town 1 City 1|url=https://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/news/2017/august/match-report-for-swindon-town-vs-exeter-city-on-12-aug-17/|accessdate=12 August 2017|publisher=Exeter City FC official site|date=12 August 2017}} He then made his first appearance at Exeter's home ground St James Park the following week in a 1–0 win over Lincoln City.{{cite news|title=City 1 Lincoln City 0|url=https://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/news/2017/august/match-report-for-exeter-city-vs-lincoln-city-on-19-aug-17/|accessdate=19 August 2017|publisher=Exeter City FC official website|date=19 August 2017}} He scored his first goal for Exeter in an EFL Trophy tie against Yeovil Town on 29 August 2017.{{cite web

|url=http://www.somersetlive.co.uk/sport/football/match-reports/yeovil-town-beat-exeter-city-397670

|title=Yeovil Town beat Exeter City 3-1 in Checkatrade Trophy but injury to Southampton youngster clouds win

|publisher=somersetlive.co.uk

|date=29 August 2017 |accessdate=30 August 2017}}

In October 2018, Sparkes joined National League South side Chippenham Town on a one-month loan deal.{{cite web |url=https://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/news/2018/october/loan-deals-for-jack-sparkes-ben-seymour-and-max-smallcombe/ |title=Loan deals for Jack Sparkes, Ben Seymour and Max Smallcombe |publisher=Exeter City F.C. |date=26 October 2018 |accessdate=30 October 2018 }} On 21 December, he was loaned out again, this time to Salisbury for one month.[https://www.evostikleaguesouthern.co.uk/news/115462/Jack-Sparkes-joins-Salisbury-on-loan-deal Jack Sparkes joins Salisbury on loan deal], evostikleaguesouthern.co.uk, 21 December 2018 The deal was later extended until the end of the season.[https://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/news/2019/january/-jack-sparkes-extends-loan-deal-with-salisbury-until-the-end-of-the-season/ Jack Sparkes extends loan deal with Salisbury], exetercityfc.co.uk, 23 January 2019

Sparkes broke into the Exeter City first team in the first half of the 2019–20 season, making 17 first-team appearances in League Two before being ruled out for the rest of the campaign with a knee injury sustained against Newport County.{{cite news |title=Jack Sparkes: Exeter City midfielder out for the season with knee injury |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50946361 |accessdate=31 December 2019 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=30 December 2019}}

Following his recovery from a shoulder injury suffered early on in the 2021–22 season, Sparkes joined National League side Torquay United on loan on 9 December 2021, with the deal lasting until 8 January 2022.{{Cite web |url=https://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/news/2021/december/sparkes-loan/ |title=Jack Sparkes joins Torquay United on loan |publisher=Exeter City FC |date=9 December 2021 |accessdate=10 December 2021}}

=League One=

Sparkes signed a two-year contract with League One side Portsmouth in June 2023.{{cite web|url=https://www.devonlive.com/sport/football/transfer-news/jack-sparkes-signs-portsmouth-after-8559771|title=Jack Sparkes signs for Portsmouth after Exeter City release|work=devonlive.com|date=28 June 2023|access-date=29 July 2024}} On 26 July 2024, Sparkes joined Peterborough United for an undisclosed fee on a three-year contract.{{cite web|url=https://www.theposh.com/news/posh-add-sparkes-mix|title=Posh Add Sparkes Into The Mix|website=www.theposh.com|date=26 July 2024|accessdate=26 July 2024}}

Career statistics

{{updated|end of 2023–24 season}}

class=wikitable style="text-align: center"

|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

rowspan=2|Club

!rowspan=2|Season

!rowspan=2|Division

!colspan=2|League

!colspan=2|FA Cup

!colspan=2|EFL Cup

!colspan=2|Other

!colspan=2|Total

AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
rowspan=7|Exeter City

|2017–18{{soccerbase season|103566|2017|access-date=11 October 2022 }}

|rowspan=5|EFL League Two

|3

000003{{efn|name=EFLT|Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy}}161
2018–19{{soccerbase season|103566|2018|access-date=11 October 2022 }}

|0

000203{{efn|name=EFLT}}050
2019–20{{soccerbase season|103566|2019|access-date=11 October 2022 }}

|17

030104{{efn|Two appearances in EFL Trophy, two appearances in League Two play-offs}}0250
2020–21{{soccerbase season|103566|2020|access-date=11 October 2022 }}

|42

330104{{efn|name=EFLT}}1504
2021–22{{soccerbase season|103566|2021|access-date=11 October 2022 }}

|21

210101{{efn|name=EFLT}}0242
2022–23{{soccerbase season|103566|2022|access-date=11 October 2022 }}

|EFL League One

|35

120112{{efn|name=EFLT}}0402
colspan=2|Total

!118||6||9||0||6||1||17||2||150||9

Chippenham Town (loan)

|2018–19

|National League South

|3

000colspan=2|—1{{efn|Appearance in Wiltshire County FA Senior Cup}}040
Salisbury (loan)

|2018–19{{cite web |url=http://www.aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk/players/jack-sparkes |title=Jack Sparkes Profile |website=aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk |publisher=Aylesbury United F.C. |access-date=11 October 2022 }}

|Southern Premier South

|21

200colspan=2|—3{{efn|One appearance in Southern League Cup, one appearance in FA Trophy, one appearance in Southern League Premier Division South play-offs}}0242
Torquay United (loan)

|2020–21

|National League

|3

1colspan=2|—colspan=2|—1{{efn|name=FAT|Appearance in FA Trophy}}041
Portsmouth

|2023–24{{soccerbase season|103566|2023|accessdate=26 July 2024}}

|League One

|38

000202{{efn|name=EFLT}}0420
colspan=3|Career total

!183||9||9||0||8||1||24||2||224||12

{{notelist}}

Honours

Exeter City

  • League Two runner-up: 2021–22{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/61281131 |title=Port Vale end Exeter's League two title hopes |website=BBC Sport |date=7 May 2022 |access-date=5 February 2023}}

Portsmouth

  • EFL League One: 2023–24{{cite news |date=16 April 2024 |title=Portsmouth 3–2 Barnsley: Pompey seal promotion to Championship with dramatic win |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/portsmouth-vs-barnsley/report/484077 |access-date=17 April 2024 |website=Sky Sports}}

References

{{reflist}}