Jack Tucker
{{short description|English footballer}}
{{about|the English footballer|the Bermudian politician also known as Jack Tucker|Henry Tucker (Bermudian politician, born 1903)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox football biography
|name = Jack Tucker
|image =
|image_size =
|caption =
|fullname = Jack Robert Tucker{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/image/201920/general-news/efl-squad-numbering-06.09.2019.pdf |title=Notification of shirt numbers|publisher=English Football League |accessdate=15 October 2019}}
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|11|13|df=y}}
|birth_place = Whitstable, Kent, England[https://www.kentlive.news/sport/football/football-news/proud-mum-thanks-gillingham-fc-1096944 Proud mum thanks Gillingham FC for opportunities as teenage son signs two-year professional contract], kentlive.news, 21 January 2018
|height =
|position = Defender
|currentclub = Milton Keynes Dons
|clubnumber = 4
|youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2007
|youthclubs1 = Whitstable Town
|youthyears2 = 2007–2018
|youthclubs2 = Gillingham
|years1 = 2017–2022
|clubs1 = Gillingham
|caps1 = 116
|goals1 = 3
|years2 = 2018
|clubs2 = → Greenwich Borough (loan)
|caps2 = 2
|goals2 = 1
|years3 = 2018–2019
|clubs3 = → Hastings United (loan)
|caps3 = 7
|goals3 = 0
|years4 = 2022–
|clubs4 = Milton Keynes Dons
|caps4 = 63
|goals4 = 1
|years5 = 2025
|clubs5 = → Colchester United (loan)
|caps5 = 10
|goals5 = 0
|club-update = 16:02, 4 May 2025 (UTC)
}}
Jack Robert Tucker (born 13 November 1999) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for {{English football updater|MiltonKD}} club Milton Keynes Dons.
Club career
=Gillingham=
Tucker joined the academy of Gillingham as a seven-year old from his hometown club Whitstable Town.{{Cite web|url=http://www.kentlive.news/sport/football/football-news/proud-mum-thanks-gillingham-fc-1096944|title=Mum praises Gillingham for helping son achieve footballing dream|last=Youlton|first=Clive|date=21 January 2018|website=kentlive|access-date=1 January 2020}}
Having progressed through the academy system, he made his league debut for the club on 8 October 2017 as a 45th-minute substitute in a 1–0 defeat to Portsmouth, and soon after signed professional terms in January 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/news/2018/january/pro-deals/|title=Three sign professional contracts with Gills|date=16 January 2018|accessdate=15 November 2018|publisher=Gillingham F.C.}} During his first two seasons as a professional, Tucker had short loan spells with Isthmian League clubs Greenwich Borough[https://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/news/2018/january/tucker-work-exp/ Jack Tucker joins Greenwich Borough], gillinghamfootballclub.com, 19 January 2019 and Hastings United,[http://www.hastingsunited.com/news/tucker-a-ufor-now TUCKER A 'U'........FOR NOW!]{{Dead link|date=September 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, hastingsunited.com, 30 November 2018[https://www.hastingsobserver.co.uk/sport/football/local/hastings-united-sign-player-from-higher-level-club-1-8780631 Hastings United sign player from higher level club], hastingsobserver.co.uk, 23 January 2019 and featured twice in the EFL Trophy for Gillingham. Following impressive performances, he was rewarded with a contract extension at the end of the 2018–19 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48340610|title=Tom Eaves and Tomas Holy offered new contracts by Gillingham|date=20 May 2019|accessdate=21 May 2019|publisher=BBC Sport}}
On 12 November 2019, Tucker scored his first professional goal in a 2–0 home EFL Trophy win over Tottenham Hotspur U21s.{{Cite web |url=https://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/news/2019/november/tottenham-u21-report/ |title=Report: Gillingham 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur U21 |publisher=Gillingham |date=12 November 2019 |access-date=21 June 2022 }} Having broken into the first team, a month later he was the subject of a transfer bid in December 2019 from an unnamed Championship club, which was rejected by Gillingham chairman Paul Scally{{Cite web|url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/sport/gillingham-reject-tucker-bid-218827/|title=Gillingham reject Tucker bid|date=19 December 2019|website=Kent Online|language=en|access-date=1 January 2020}} and the same day Tucker signed a further contract extension with the club.{{Cite web|url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/sport/tucker-it-was-a-simple-decision-to-make-218976/|title=Tucker: It was a simple decision to make|date=23 December 2019|website=Kent Online|language=en|access-date=1 January 2020}} He was named as the Kent side's young Player of the Season at the conclusion of the 2019–20 season.{{Cite news|date=31 July 2020|title=Gillingham defender Connor Ogilvie picks up four awards at the League 1 club's virtual player-of-the-year awards event|work=Kent Online|url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/sport/ogilvie-stars-at-gills-awards-night-231367/|access-date=1 August 2020}}
On 6 March 2021, he scored his first league goal for Gillingham in a 3–1 victory over Ipswich Town.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56219719|title=Gillingham 3-1 Ipswich Town|work=BBC Sport }}
Following the club's relegation to League Two at the end of the 2021–22 season, Tucker rejected the offer of a new deal in favour of a move elsewhere,{{Cite web |url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/sport/tucker-expected-to-leave-gillingham-admits-boss-267017/ |title=Gillingham manager Neil Harris admits Jack Tucker is likely to leave and that Robbie McKenzie could be tempted to |publisher=Kent Online |date=12 May 2022 |access-date=21 June 2022 }} bringing an end to his fifteen-year association with Gillingham. At the club's end of season awards he was named Young Player of the Season, winning the award for the third successive year and the fourth time overall.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/news/2021/may/jack-tucker-named-young-player-of-the-year/|title=Jack Tucker named Young Player of the Year|website=www.gillinghamfootballclub.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/news/2021/may/tucker--i-will-enjoy-my-summer-but-look-forward-to-next-season/|title=Tucker | "I will enjoy my summer but I look forward to next season"|website=www.gillinghamfootballclub.com}}{{Cite web |last=Cawdell |first=Luke |date=1 May 2022 |title=Stuart O'Keefe voted Gillingham supporters' player of the year 2021/22; Chairman Paul Scally insists they will be a better club next season |url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/sport/gillingham-supporters-player-of-the-year-2021-22-266472/ |access-date=2 May 2022 |website=Kent Online |language=en}}
=Milton Keynes Dons=
On 17 June 2022, Tucker signed for League One club Milton Keynes Dons on a long-term contract, with compensation owed to Gillingham due to his age.{{Cite web |url=https://www.mkdons.com/news/2022/june/jack-tucker-to-join-mk-dons/ |title=Jack Tucker to join MK Dons |publisher=Milton Keynes Dons |date=17 June 2022 |access-date=17 June 2022 }}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/61844926|title=Dons sign Tucker as McEachran agrees new deal|work=BBC Sport }} He made his debut on 30 July 2022 in a 1–0 defeat away to Cambridge United.{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62274968 |title=Cambridge United 1-0 Milton Keynes Dons |publisher=BBC |date=30 July 2022 |access-date=31 July 2022 }}
On 23 January 2025, Tucker joined League Two side Colchester United on loan for the remainder of the season. {{cite web|url=https://www.cu-fc.com/news/2025/january/23/u-s-take-tucker-on-loan/|title=U'S TAKE TUCKER ON LOAN|website=www.cu-fc.com|date=23 January 2025|accessdate=23 January 2025}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c93q97qre13o|title=Jack Tucker: Colchester United sign MK Dons defender on loan|date=23 January 2025|website=BBC Sport}}
Career statistics
{{updated|3 May 2025}}
{{notelist}}
Honours
Individual
- Gillingham Young Player of the Season: 2017–18,{{Cite web |url=https://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/news/2018/may/player-of-the-year/ |title=Mark Byrne voted Player of the Year |publisher=Gillingham |date=6 May 2018 |access-date=21 June 2022 }} 2019–20, 2020–21,{{Cite news|date=9 May 2021|title=Kyle Dempsey named Gillingham supporters' player-of-the-year 2020/21; Vadaine Oliver players' player, Jack Tucker young player and Connor Ogilvie goal of the season|work=Kent Online|url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/sport/gillingham-player-of-the-year-246925/|access-date=16 May 2021}} 2021–22
References
{{reflist}}
{{Milton Keynes Dons F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tucker, Jack}}
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Footballers from Kent
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Whitstable Town F.C. players
Category:Gillingham F.C. players
Category:Greenwich Borough F.C. players
Category:Hastings United F.C. players
Category:Milton Keynes Dons F.C. players
Category:Colchester United F.C. players
Category:Isthmian League players