Jerel Ifil

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Jerel Ifil

| image = Ifil, Jerel.jpg

| image_size = 250

| fullname = Jerel Christopher Ifil

| height =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1982|6|27|df=y}}

| birth_place = Wembley, London, England

| currentclub = Swindon Supermarine

| clubnumber =

| position = Defender

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 2001–2004

| years2 = 2002

| years3 = 2003

| years4 = 2003

| years5 = 2003–2004

| years6 = 2004–2009

| years7 = 2009–2011

| years8 = 2011

| years9 = 2011–2012

| years10 = 2012

| years11 = 2012

| years12 = 2012–2014

| years13 = 2018–

| clubs1 = Watford

| clubs2 = → Huddersfield Town (loan)

| clubs3 = → Swindon Town (loan)

| clubs4 = → Swindon Town (loan)

| clubs5 = → Swindon Town (loan)

| clubs6 = Swindon Town

| clubs7 = Aberdeen

| clubs8 = Bristol Rovers

| clubs9 = Kettering Town

| clubs10 = Sutton United

| clubs11 = Boreham Wood

| clubs12 = Staines Town

| clubs13 = Swindon Supermarine

| caps1 = 11

| goals1 = 0

| caps2 = 2

| goals2 = 0

| caps3 = 9

| goals3 = 0

| caps4 = 10

| goals4 = 0

| caps5 = 10

| goals5 = 0

| caps6 = 181

| goals6 = 3

| caps7 = 44

| goals7 = 0

| caps8 = 3

| goals8 = 0

| caps9 = 28

| goals9 = 0

| caps10 = 1

| goals10 = 0

| caps11 = 2

| goals11 = 0

| caps12 = 84

| goals12 = 0

| caps13 = 14

| goals13 = 3

| nationalyears1 =

| nationalteam1 =

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| club-update = 15:38, 16 February 2019 (UTC)

| nationalteam-update =

}}

Jerel Christopher Ifil (born 27 June 1982) is an English footballer who plays as a defender who plays for Swindon Supermarine.[http://www.aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk/players/jerel-ifil Jerel Ifil Profile | Aylesbury United FC] He is the elder brother of fellow footballer Philip Ifil.

Career

Born in Wembley, Greater London, Ifil started his career at Watford where he made his debut in the 2002–03 season. Initially, he went on loan to Huddersfield Town where he played four times.

Ifil originally signed for Swindon Town on a three-month loan deal from Watford in January 2003, returning to the club in September later that year where he further impressed, prompting manager Andy King to request Ifil's loan to be extended but this was refused by Watford. However, Ifil returned on another three-month loan just over a week later in January 2004. After a drawn out transfer saga, the two clubs agreed a £70,000 bid for the player, Ifil signed a two-year deal at Swindon in July 2004. By the time of his departure from the club in 2009, he was Swindon's longest serving player.

In August 2009 Ifil appeared as a trialist for Scottish Premier League side Aberdeen in their 1–0 win over Hull City in a testimonial for Dean Windass. He subsequently signed a two-year deal with the club on 12 August 2009. He made his debut in a 3–1 loss to Celtic on the opening day of the 2009–10 SPL season.

On 31 January 2011, Ifil was released by Aberdeen.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/aberdeen/9383023.stm |title=Aberdeen sign Steven Smith on loan from Norwich |publisher=BBC Sport |date=31 January 2011 |accessdate=2 February 2011}} On 24 February, Ifil signed for Bristol Rovers on non-contract terms until the end of the 2010–2011 season.{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bristol_rovers/9406784.stm | work=BBC News | title=Bristol Rovers complete Ifil deal | date=24 February 2011}} He was one of seventeen players released by the team in May 2011.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13477210.stm |title=Midfielder Jeff Hughes heads Bristol Rovers exodus |publisher=BBC Sport|date=23 May 2011 |accessdate=23 May 2011}}

On 25 July 2011, he signed a two-year contract with Kettering Town.{{cite news| url=http://www.northantset.co.uk/sport/football/kettering-town/maison_excited_by_duo_signing_1_2899288 |title=Maison excited by duo signing |work=Evening Telegraph|date=25 July 2011 |accessdate=26 July 2011}}

Having trialled with Torquay United earlier in the summer,{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19153764 |title=Torquay take Jerel Ifil, George Artemi and Carl Baker on trial |publisher=BBC Sport |date=6 August 2012 |accessdate=10 September 2015}} he signed for Sutton United at the start of September 2012 and then moved to Boreham Wood shortly afterwards.{{cite news |url=http://www.borehamwoodfootballclub.co.uk/first-team-player-profiles/jerel-ifil/ |title=Player profile |publisher=Boreham Wood FC |date=September 2012 |accessdate=3 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130102054851/http://www.borehamwoodfootballclub.co.uk/first-team-player-profiles/jerel-ifil/ |archive-date=2 January 2013 |url-status=dead }} In November 2012 he joined Staines Town,{{Cite web| url=http://footballconference.co.uk/news/details.php?news_id=8488 |title=Now Ifil joins Staines |publisher=Football Conference |date=30 November 2012 |accessdate=30 November 2012}} playing for them until December 2014.{{cite news |url=http://www.stainestownfootballclub.co.uk/news-2/4583191344/Jerel-Ifil-departs-.../9206532 |title=Jerel Ifil departs |publisher=Staines Town FC |date=30 December 2014 |accessdate=10 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160813092832/http://www.stainestownfootballclub.co.uk/news-2/4583191344/Jerel-Ifil-departs-.../9206532 |archive-date=13 August 2016 |url-status=dead }}

In 2018, after four years out of the game, Ifil joined Swindon Supermarine.[https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/16993825.ex-swindon-town-ace-jerel-ifil-enjoys-supermarine-stint/ Ex-Swindon Town ace Jerel Ifil enjoys Supermarine stint | Swindon Advertiser]

Personal life

Jerel is the brother of fellow professional footballer, Philip Ifil. He is of Saint Lucian and Greek-Cypriot descent.{{Cite web|url=https://thewashbag.com/2016/04/20/qa-with-jerel-ifil/|title=Q&A with Jerel Ifil|date=20 April 2016}}