Matt Jay
{{short description|English footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2016}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Matt Jay
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| fullname = Matthew William Jay{{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|1996|02|27|df=y}}
| birth_place = Torbay, England
| height = {{convert|1.78|m|order=flip}}{{cite web |url=https://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/teams/first-team/midfielder/matt-jay/ |title=Matt Jay - Midfielder - First Team - Exeter City FC |website=Exeter City F.C. |accessdate=6 October 2022}}
| position = Attacking midfielder
| currentclub = Torquay United
| clubnumber = 27
| youthyears1 = 2003–2013
| youthclubs1 = Exeter City
| years1 = 2013–2023
| clubs1 = Exeter City
| caps1 = 163
| goals1 = 41
| years2 = 2014–2015
| clubs2 = → Weston-super-Mare (loan)
| caps2 = 5
| goals2 = 1
| years3 = 2015
| clubs3 = → Hayes & Yeading United (loan)
| caps3 = 6
| goals3 = 2
| years4 = 2016
| clubs4 = → Truro City (loan)
| caps4 = 20
| goals4 = 6
| years5 = 2023–2025
| clubs5 = Colchester United
| caps5 = 35
| goals5 = 1
| years6 = 2025–
| clubs6 = Torquay United
| caps6 = 19
| goals6 = 7
| club-update = 15:44, 30 April 2025 (UTC)
}}
Matthew William Jay (born 27 February 1996) is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for National League South side Torquay United
Early life and education
Jay was born in Torbay in Devon and he attended South Dartmoor Community College together with Ollie Watkins and Jamie Reid.{{cite news |url=https://www.torbayweekly.co.uk/from-the-playing-fields-of-south-devon-to-england-and-the-world-cup---star-footballer-ollie-does-mum--and-family-proud-/ |title=From the playing fields of South Devon to England and the World Cup – star footballer Ollie does mum and family proud|website=Torbay Weekly |publisher=Clear Sky Publishing |date=25 March 2021 |access-date=8 April 2023}}{{cite web|title=Alumni |url=https://www.southdartmoor.devon.sch.uk/page/?title=Alumni&pid=7 |website=South Devon Community College }}
Playing career
= Exeter City =
Jay made his professional debut for Exeter in a 2–0 loss to Wycombe Wanderers in the Football League Trophy at St James Park on 3 September 2013.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25415213 |title=Exeter City: Matt Jay earns first professional deal |publisher=BBC Sport|date=17 December 2013 |accessdate=7 May 2014}}
On 22 November 2015, Jay joined National League South side Hayes & Yeading United on a one-month loan.{{cite news |url=http://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/news/article/jay-joins-hayes-yeading-on-loan-2813031.aspx |title=City youngster with York Road club for a month |publisher=Exeter City F.C. |date=22 November 2015 |accessdate=9 December 2015}}
He scored his first goal for Exeter in an EFL Trophy tie against Oxford United on 30 August 2016.{{cite news |url=http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/14713065.Oxford_United_4__T_Roberts_12__Maguire_pen_36__Taylor_68__MacDonald_71___Exeter_City_2__Jay_43__McAlinden_61_/ |title=Oxford United 4 (T Roberts 12, Maguire pen 36, Taylor 68, MacDonald 71), Exeter City 2 (Jay 43, McAlinden 61) |newspaper=Oxford Mail |date=30 August 2016 |accessdate=31 August 2016}}
Jay finally scored his first league goal on the 8th of April, in the 2017–18 campaign, away to Cambridge United in a game where Exeter came twice from behind to win 3–2. This came to the delight of many players and fans alike following a run of impressive games starting and from the bench.{{Cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/teams/exeter-city | title=Exeter City }}{{Cite web | url=http://www.skysports.com/football/cambridge-u-vs-exeter/report/374560 | title=Cambridge 2-3 Exeter: Grecians battle to victory }}
In 2021, Jay scored his first career hat trick in a 4–0 victory against Leyton Orient.{{Cite web | url=https://www.skysports.com/amp/football/news/14728/12233818/exeter-4-0-leyton-orient-matt-jay-hat-trick-fires-grecians-to-victory | title=Exeter 4–0 Leyton Orient: Matt Jay hat-trick fires Grecians to victory }} After a month in which he scored five goals and got one assist, Jay received the League Two Player of the Month award for March 2021. At the end of the 2020–21 season, he was named as the Devon side's Player of the Season,{{Cite web |last=Clark |first=Daniel |date=2021-05-08 |title=Matt Jay takes home player of the year awards as he reaches his 20 goal target |url=https://www.devonlive.com/sport/football/football-news/matt-jay-takes-home-player-5392050 |access-date=2022-04-24 |website=DevonLive |language=en}} and on 29 April 2021 was named in the 2020–21 EFL League Two Team of the Season at the league's annual awards ceremony.{{Cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/news/2022/april/football-manager-efl-team-of-the-season-line-ups-announced/ |title=Football Manager EFL Team of the Season line-ups announced |publisher=EFL.com |date=24 April 2022 |access-date=25 April 2022 }}
Jay was awarded the Exeter captaincy following the departure of Jake Taylor in the summer of 2021 and was given the number 7 shirt. He continued his goalscoring form into the 2021–22 season, netting 16 times in all competitions. The most significant of these came in a 2–1 home win over Barrow, where he scored a late winner, chesting the ball down from a Josh Key cross and slamming home through the legs of Paul Farman on the volley to secure his boyhood club's return to League One after a decade in League Two.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60357319|title=Exeter City win promotion from League Two |work=BBC Sport }}
= Colchester United =
On 9 January 2023, Jay signed for Colchester United for an undisclosed fee.{{Cite news |date=9 January 2023 |title=Colchester sign Exeter skipper Jay until 2025 |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/64213803 |access-date=9 January 2023}}
On 23 January 2025, Colchester United announced that Jay's contract had been cancelled by mutual consent, with Jay free to seek another club as a free agent. {{cite web|url=https://www.cu-fc.com/news/2025/january/23/jay-and-greenidge-depart/|title=JAY AND GREENIDGE DEPART|website=www.cu-fc.com|date=23 January 2025|accessdate=23 January 2025}}
=Torquay United=
Career statistics
{{updated|match played on 26 April 2025}}
{{notelist}}
Honours
Exeter City
- EFL League Two runner-up: 2021–22{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/60357319 |title=Exeter City win promotion from League Two |author=Brent Pilnick |publisher=BBC Sport |date=26 April 2022 |access-date=29 January 2023}}
Individual
- PFA Team of the Year: 2020–21 League Two,{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/57345692 |title=Norwich City dominate with six players in PFA Championship team of the year |website=BBC Sport |date=3 June 2021 |access-date=15 January 2023}} 2021–22 League Two{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/61736732 |title=Mohamed Salah and Sam Kerr win PFA player of year awards |website=BBC Sport |date=9 June 2022 |access-date=15 January 2023}}
- EFL League Two Team of the Season: 2020–21
- Exeter City Player of the Season: 2020–21
- EFL League Two Player of the Month: March 2021{{cite web|url=https://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/news/2021/april/mj-potm2/|title=Matt Jay wins Sky Bet League Two Player of the Month!|website=www.exetercityfc.co.uk|date=9 April 2021}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerbase}}
- {{soccerway}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Awards
| bg = gold
| fg = navy
| list =
{{Exeter City F.C. Player of the Year}}
{{2020–21 EFL League Two Team of the Season}}
{{2020–21 EFL League Two PFA Team of the Year}}
{{2021–22 EFL League Two PFA Team of the Year}}
}}
{{Torquay United F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jay, Matt}}
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Footballers from Devon
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Exeter City F.C. players
Category:Weston-super-Mare A.F.C. players
Category:Hayes & Yeading United F.C. players
Category:Truro City F.C. players
Category:Colchester United F.C. players
Category:Torquay United F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:National League (English football) players
Category:21st-century English sportsmen
Category:People educated at South Dartmoor Community College