Jacob Wakeling
{{Short description|English footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox football biography
|name = Jacob Wakeling
|image =
|image_size =
|caption =
|fullname = Jacob Andrew Wakeling{{Cite web |title=SQUAD LIST 2022/23 & U21 REGISTERED CONTRACT PLAYERS|url=https://www.efl.com/contentassets/507aa6a7a8754b37a8b949396ec5d00e/squad-list-publication-report-2022-23---07.09.2022.pdf |access-date=14 September 2022|publisher=English Football League}}
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|9|15|df=y}}
|birth_place = Redditch, England{{Soccerway|jacob-wakeling/501939}}
|height =
|position = Striker
|currentclub = Gillingham
(on loan from Peterborough United)
|clubnumber = 24
|youthyears1 =
|youthclubs1 = West Bromwich Albion
|years1 = 2020
|clubs1 = Alvechurch
|caps1 = 7
|goals1 = 5
|years2 = 2020–2022
|clubs2 = Leicester City
|caps2 = 0
|goals2 = 0
|years3 = 2022
|clubs3 = → Barrow (loan)
|caps3 = 4
|goals3 = 0
|years4 = 2022–2023
|clubs4 = Swindon Town
|caps4 = 47
|goals4 = 8
|years5 = 2023–
|clubs5 = Peterborough United
|caps5 = 8
|goals5 = 0
|years6 = 2024–
|clubs6 = → Gillingham (loan)
|caps6 = 16
|goals6 = 1
|club-update = 17:30, 2 April 2025 (UTC)
}}
Jacob Andrew Wakeling (born 15 September 2001) is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for {{English football updater|Gillingh}} side Gillingham, on loan from {{English football updater|PeterboU}} club Peterborough United.
Career
=Early career=
Wakeling began his career with West Bromwich Albion, being released by them in 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.barrowafc.com/news/2022/january/120122-barrow-afc-sign-leicester-city--striker-jacob-wakeling-on-loan-until-the-end-of-2021-22-season/|title=Barrow Sign Jacob Wakeling On Loan|website=www.barrowafc.com}} After playing in non-league football for Alvechurch,{{Cite web|url=http://www.aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk/players/jake-wakeling/|title=Jake Wakeling Profile | Aylesbury United FC|website=www.aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk}} Wakeling signed for Leicester City in November 2020, before moving on loan to Barrow in January 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/59967541|title=Barrow sign Leicester striker Wakeling|work=BBC Sport |date=12 January 2022 }} Wakeling played four times for Barrow before returning to Leicester, from where he was released as a player in June 2022.{{cite web |title=Eldin Jakupović Among Six To Depart Leicester City |url=https://www.lcfc.com/news/2643053/eldin-jakupovi-among-six-to-depart-leicester-city?fbclid=IwAR3uxiRsptX2JrkJ4QeoWrqwz_VKcDRRJisysG-naUHyhsmJ0H2i_nQFccc |publisher=Leicester City FC |access-date=10 June 2022}}
=Swindon Town=
In July 2022 he signed for Swindon Town after previously being on trial at the club.{{cite web |title=Swindon Town sign striker Jacob Wakeling on one-year contract|date=5 July 2022 |url=https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/20257676.swindon-town-sign-striker-jacob-wakeling-one-year-contract/ |publisher=Swindon Advertiser |access-date=5 July 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/62056062|title=Swindon sign former Leicester striker Wakeling|work=BBC Sport |date=5 July 2022 }} After scoring 4 goals and making 3 assists in his first 10 league games, on 30 September 2022,{{Cite web|url=https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/23333406.jacob-wakeling-hopes-discover-early-season-form-swindon-town/|title=Wakeling hoping to rediscover early-season form after outrageous Salford goal|website=Swindon Advertiser|date=20 February 2023 }} Wakeling signed a contract extension keeping him at Swindon Town until 2026.{{Cite web|url=https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/22955313.jacob-wakeling-signs-new-swindon-town-contract-keeping-club-2026/|title=Town talent Wakeling signs new long-term contract|website=Swindon Advertiser|date=30 September 2022 }}
=Peterborough United=
On 1 September 2023, Wakeling signed with EFL League One club Peterborough United on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66680992|title=Peterborough sign Wakeling from Swindon|work=BBC Sport |date=September 2023 }}
Ahead of the 2023–24 season, Wakeling joined Gillingham on a season-long loan.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/news/gills-sign-jacob-wakeling-loan|title=Gills sign Jacob Wakeling on loan | Gillingham F.C.|website=www.gillinghamfootballclub.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cgl7l17v2v8o|title=Jacob Wakeling: Peterborough United striker joins Gillingham on loan|date=2 August 2024|website=BBC Sport}} He scored on his debut for the team, scoring the second in a 4-1 home win over Carlisle United.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/news/report-gillingham-4-1-carlisle-united|title=Report: Gillingham 4-1 Carlisle United|website=www.gillinghamfootballclub.com}}
On 6 May 2025, Peterborough announced the player had been transfer listed.{{Cite web |title=Posh Announce Retained List {{!}} Peterborough United - The Posh |url=https://www.theposh.com/news/posh-announce-retained-list-0 |access-date=12 May 2025 |website=www.theposh.com |language=en}}
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 1 April 2025}}
| 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"|EFL Cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alvechurch
|Southern League Premier Division Central |7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | colspan="2"|– | 1{{efn|name="FAT"|Appearance(s) in FA Trophy}} | 0 | 11 | 7 | ||
| rowspan="3"|Leicester City U21
|2020–21{{Soccerbase season|136746|2020|accessdate=19 December 2024}} |– |colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 1{{efn|name=EFLT}} | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 2021–22{{Soccerbase season|136746|2021|accessdate=19 December 2024}}
|– |colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 2{{efn|name=EFLT}} | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||||
| colspan="2"|Total
!colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||3||2||3||2 | ||||||||||
| Barrow (loan)
|4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| rowspan="3"|Swindon Town
|2022–23{{Soccerbase season|136746|2022|accessdate=19 December 2024}} |League Two |45 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 8 | |
| 2023–24{{Soccerbase season|136746|2023|accessdate=19 December 2024}}
|League Two |2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1{{efn|name=EFLT|Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy}} | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!47||8||1||0||1||0||1||0||50||8 | ||||||||||
| Peterborough United
|8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| Gillingham (loan)
|2024–25{{Soccerbase season|136746|2024|accessdate=19 December 2024}} |League Two |16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1{{efn|name=EFLT}} | 0 | 19 | 1 | |
| colspan="3"|Career total
!82||14||5||2||2||0||6||2||95||18 |
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Gillingham F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wakeling, Jacob}}
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:West Bromwich Albion F.C. players
Category:Alvechurch F.C. players
Category:Leicester City F.C. players
Category:Barrow A.F.C. players
Category:Swindon Town F.C. players
Category:Peterborough United F.C. players
Category:Gillingham F.C. players
Category:Southern Football League players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:21st-century English sportsmen
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