Paddy Lacey

{{Infobox football biography

|name = Patrick Lacey

|fullname = Patrick Sean Lacey{{cite web|title=Retained List 2016-17|url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/efl-documents/efl-released-and-retained-list---2016-17.pdf|publisher=English Football League|accessdate=13 June 2017}}

|image = Paddy Lacey 2022.png

|image_size =

|caption = Lacey in 2022

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|3|16|df=y}}

|birth_place = Liverpool, England

|height =

|position = Midfielder

|currentclub = Flint Town United

|clubnumber =

|youthyears1 =

|youthclubs1 = Tranmere Rovers

|youthyears2 =

|youthclubs2 = Manchester United

|youthyears3 =

|youthclubs3 = Liverpool

|youthyears4 =

|youthclubs4 = Sheffield Wednesday

|years1 = 2011–2012

|clubs1 = Bradford City

|caps1 = 0

|goals1 = 0

|years2 = 2011

|clubs2 = → Southport (loan)

|caps2 = 0

|goals2 = 0

|years3 = 2011–2012

|clubs3 = → Vauxhall Motors (loan)

|caps3 = 6

|goals3 = 1

|years4 = 2012

|clubs4 = Droylsden

|caps4 = 12

|goals4 = 1

|years5 = 2012–2013

|clubs5 = Altrincham

|caps5 = 26

|goals5 = 0

|years6 = 2013–2016

|clubs6 = Barrow

|caps6 = 89

|goals6 = 4

|years7 = 2016–2017

|clubs7 = Accrington Stanley

|caps7 = 11

|goals7 = 1

|years8 = 2019–2020

|clubs8 = Southport

|caps8 = 14

|goals8 = 0

|years9 = 2020

|clubs9 = Stalybridge Celtic

|caps9 = 7

|goals9 = 1

|years10 = 2020–2022

|clubs10 = Chester

|caps10 = 22

|goals10 = 3

|years11 = 2022–2023

|clubs11 = Warrington Rylands 1906

|caps11 = 10

|goals11 = 0

|years12 = 2023–

|clubs12 = Flint Town United

|caps12 = 12

|goals12 = 0

|club-update = 11 February 2024

}}

{{Infobox boxer

| image =

| nickname =

| weight = Middleweight

| style =

| total = 10

| wins = 10

| KO = 2

| losses = 0

| draws = 0

| no contests = 0

}}

Patrick Sean Lacey (born 16 March 1993) is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Cymru North side Flint Town United. He made eleven appearances in the Football League for Accrington Stanley.{{Soccerbase season|id=60003|season=2016|name=Paddy Lacey|access-date=11 February 2024}} Lacey has since also competed in boxing, with his debut fight occurring in October 2021.{{BoxRec | id= 1034690 | name= Paddy Lacey }}

Football career

=Early career=

Lacey started his career in the academy of Tranmere Rovers, before joining Manchester United, where he played alongside players such as Ravel Morrison and Jesse Lingard. After a month with Manchester United, he was given the chance to join Liverpool, the club he had supported as a child, and took up this offer.{{cite web|url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/shea-lacey-man-united-academy-26330821|title='I rejected Manchester United Class of 2011 for Liverpool ... went to prison and became a professional boxer'|first=Steven|last=Railston|date=4 March 2023|accessdate=18 March 2023|website=manchestereveningnews.co.uk}}

=Bradford City=

On 8 July 2011, Lacey signed for EFL League Two club Bradford City on a one-year deal following his release from Sheffield Wednesday.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/14075522 |title=Bradford City sign 18-year-old midfielder Patrick Lacey |publisher=BBC Sport |date=8 July 2011 |accessdate=28 August 2016}} During his time at Bradford he had loan spells at Southport and Vauxhall Motors, before agreeing to depart the club by mutual consent on 31 January 2012.{{cite web |url=http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11750/7468660/lacey-makes-bradford-exit |title=Lacey makes Bradford exit |publisher=Sky Sports |date=31 January 2012 |accessdate=28 August 2016}}

=Accrington Stanley=

On 21 July 2016, he joined Accrington Stanley on a one-year deal.{{cite web |url=http://accringtonstanley.co.uk/2016/07/lacey-signs-one-year-deal/ |title=Lacey signs one-year deal |publisher=Accrington Stanley F.C. |date=21 July 2016 |accessdate=28 August 2016}} He made his debut for Stanley in the club's 1–0 EFL Cup victory against Burnley on 24 August, coming off the bench in the 83rd minute for Billy Kee.{{cite web |url=http://accringtonstanley.co.uk/2016/08/stanley-burnley-aet/ |title=Stanley 1 Burnley 0 (aet) |publisher=Accrington Stanley F.C. |date=24 August 2016 |accessdate=28 August 2016 |archive-date=28 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160828234415/http://accringtonstanley.co.uk/2016/08/stanley-burnley-aet/ |url-status=dead }} He made his Football League debut, and first league appearance for Accrington, against Morecambe on 27 August, coming off the bench in the 82nd minute for Shay McCartan.{{cite web |url=http://accringtonstanley.co.uk/2016/08/stanley-morecambe-4/ |title=Stanley 2 Morecambe 3 |publisher=Accrington Stanley F.C. |date=27 August 2016 |accessdate=28 August 2016 |archive-date=28 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160828233041/http://accringtonstanley.co.uk/2016/08/stanley-morecambe-4/ |url-status=dead }} He scored his first goal for the club in a 1–0 win over Portsmouth on 17 September.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37325452 |title=Accrington 1–0 Portsmouth |publisher=BBC Sport |date=17 September 2016 |accessdate=24 October 2016}}

On 5 May 2017, Accrington announced they had terminated Lacey's contract after he admitted to a breach of anti-doping regulations. He had been given a 14-month ban by the Football Association having tested positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, following a game against Hartlepool United the previous November.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39821380|title=Paddy Lacey: Accrington Stanley sack midfielder after 14-month drugs ban|publisher=BBC Sport|date=5 May 2017|accessdate=6 May 2017}}{{cite news|url=http://accringtonstanley.co.uk/2017/05/statement-paddy-lacey/|title=Statement: Paddy Lacey|publisher=Accrington Stanley F.C.|date=5 May 2017|accessdate=7 May 2017|archive-date=13 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170513183354/http://accringtonstanley.co.uk/2017/05/statement-paddy-lacey/|url-status=dead}}

One month after his contract was terminated, Lacey was arrested at Glastonbury Festival in possession of 20.3 grams of cocaine, 16.8 grams of MDMA, and £520 in counterfeit £20 notes. He pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing a controlled substance, and passing an item as genuine which he knew to be a counterfeit. He was sentenced to 16 months in prison in July 2017.{{Cite web|url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/promising-footballer-jailed-after-being-13428030|title=Professional footballer jailed after being caught with drugs at Glastonbury|first=Joe|last=Thomas|date=3 August 2017|website=Liverpool Echo}}

=Return to non-league football=

Following his release from prison, on 14 January 2019 it was confirmed that Lacey had joined Southport on an 18-month contract.{{Cite web|url=https://southportfc.net/signing-patrick-lacey/|title=SIGNING | Patrick Lacey|work=Southport Football Club |date=14 January 2019}}

In January 2020, he joined Northern Premier League Premier Division club Stalybridge Celtic before later joining Chester in September 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.chesterfc.com/2020/09/30/breaking-midfielder-paddy-lacey-signs-for-chester-fc/|title=Midfielder Paddy Lacey signs for Chester FC|website=www.chesterfc.com|date=30 September 2020|accessdate=2 January 2021}} After suffering a knee injury in February 2021, Lacey raised funds to pay for the surgery he needed.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/19088871.ex-bradford-city-player-raises-enough-needed-surgery/|title=Thousands raised as ex-Bantam reaches target required for major surgery|website=Bradford Telegraph and Argus|date=14 February 2021 }}

On 15 February 2022, it was announced that Lacey had decided to leave Chester in order to take up an offer with an unnamed Northern Premier League club.{{Cite web |url=https://www.chesterfc.com/2022/02/15/breaking-paddy-lacey-departs-the-deva/ |title=Paddy Lacey departs the Deva |publisher=Chester FC |date=15 February 2022 |accessdate=16 February 2022}}

On 16 February 2022, Lacey signed for Northern Premier League Division One West side Warrington Rylands 1906 on a short-term deal until the end of the 2021–22 season.{{Cite tweet |user=RylandsFC |number=1494039470835916800 |title=Rylands FC land themselves a knockout!}}

On 29 July 2023, Cymru North side Flint Town United announced the signing of Lacey from Warrington Rylands.{{Cite web |date=2023-07-29 |title=Paddy Lacey joins the Silkmen |url=https://flinttownunited.co.uk/paddy-lacey-joins-the-silkmen/ |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=Flint Town United |language=en-GB}} Just days later, on 1 August, Lacey's younger brother Luis joined him at Flint Town on loan from Transmere Rovers.{{Cite web |date=2023-08-01 |title=Luis Lacey joins brother Paddy at Flint |url=https://flinttownunited.co.uk/luis-lacey-joins-brother-paddy-at-flint/ |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=Flint Town United |language=en-GB}} He made his league debut for the Silksmen on 18 August against Ruthin Town, receiving a red card in the 53rd minute of the 1–1 draw.{{Cite web |date=2023-08-19 |title=Flint pegged back, as Lacey sees Red |url=https://flinttownunited.co.uk/flint-pegged-back-as-lacey-sees-red/ |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=Flint Town United |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |date=2023-08-28 |title=Gresford are back in Cymru North action at Flint following unscheduled break |url=https://www.leaderlive.co.uk/sport/23750861.return-action-gresford-pay-visit-flint/ |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=The Leader |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=davenwsport |date=2023-08-19 |title=JD Cymru North - Holywell romp to 5-1 win at 10-man Denbigh |url=https://nwsport.co.uk/2023/08/19/jd-cymru-north-holywell-romp-to-5-1-win-at-10-man-denbigh/ |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=Grassroots North Wales {{!}} Championing Local Sport {{!}} Dave Jones Sportswriter {{!}} nwsport.co.uk |language=en-GB}}

Boxing career

Lacey has also fought as a professional boxer, alongside his semi-professional football career and his day job as a carpet fitter.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/59321032|title=The footballer rebuilding his life in boxing| work=BBC Sport }}

=Professional boxing record=

| style="text-align:center;" colspan="13"|10 wins (2 knockouts, 8 decisions), 0 losses{{Cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/box-pro/1034690|title=BoxRec: Paddy Lacey}}

|- style="text-align:center; background:#e3e3e3;"

| style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Res.

| style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Record

| style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Opponent

| style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Type

| style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Round, time

| style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Date

| style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Location

| style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Notes

|- align=center

|{{yes2}}Win

|1–0

|align=left|{{flagicon|CRO}}

Stanko Jermelic

|{{small|PTS}}

|{{small|4}}||{{small|15 October 2021}}

|align=left|{{flagicon|GBR}} {{small|Olympia, Liverpool, Merseyside}}

|align=left|{{small|Professional boxing debut.}}

|- align=center

|{{yes2}}Win

|2–0

|align=left|{{flagicon|CZE}} Pavel Albrecht

|{{small|PTS}}

|{{small|4}}||{{small|26 November 2021}}

|align=left|{{flagicon|GBR}} {{small|Olympia, Liverpool, Merseyside}}

|align=left|

|- align=center

|{{yes2}}Win

|3–0

|align=left|{{flagicon|RUS}} Vasif Mamedov

|{{small|PTS}}

|{{small|4}}||{{small|11 December 2021}}

|align=left|{{flagicon|GBR}} {{small|Liverpool Arena, Liverpool, Merseyside}}

|align=left|

|- align=center

|{{yes2}}Win

|4–0

|align=left|{{flagicon|GBR}} Josh Crook

|{{small|PTS}}

|{{small|4}}||{{small|5 March 2022}}

|align=left|{{flagicon|GBR}} {{small|Olympia, Liverpool, Merseyside}}

|align=left|

|- align=center

|{{yes2}}Win

|5–0

|align=left|{{flagicon|GBR}} Jake Bray

|{{small|PTS}}

|{{small|4}}||{{small|14 May 2022}}

|align=left|{{flagicon|GBR}} {{small|Winter Gardens, Blackpool, Lancashire}}

|align=left|

|- align=center

|{{yes2}}Win

|6–0

|align=left|{{flagicon|GBR}} Ryan Broten

|{{small|TKO}}

|{{small|1 (4),}} {{small|0:43}} ||{{small|17 June 2022}}

|align=left|{{flagicon|GBR}} {{small|Liverpool Arena, Liverpool, Merseyside}}

|align=left|

|- align=center

|{{yes2}}Win

|7–0

|align=left|{{flagicon|GBR}} Seamus Devlin

|{{small|PTS}}

|{{small|6}}||{{small|3 September 2022}}

|align=left|{{flagicon|GBR}} {{small|Liverpool Arena, Liverpool, Merseyside}}

|align=left|

|- align=center

|{{yes2}}Win

|8–0

|align=left|{{flagicon|GBR}} James McCarthy

|{{small|PTS}}

|{{small|6}}||{{small|11 March 2023}}

|align=left|{{flagicon|GBR}} {{small|Liverpool Arena, Liverpool, Merseyside}}

|align=left|

|- align=center

|{{yes2}}Win

|9–0

|align=left|{{flagicon|MEX}} Fernando Valencia

|{{small|PTS}}

|{{small|4}}||{{small|23 September 2023}}

|align=left|{{flagicon|GBR}} {{small|Grand Central Hall, Liverpool, Merseyside}}

|align=left|

|- align=center

|{{yes2}}Win

|10–0

|align=left|{{flagicon|GBR}} Owen Kirk

|{{small|KO}}

|{{small|1 (8),}} {{small|1:40}} ||{{small|21 October 2023}}

|align=left|{{flagicon|GBR}} {{small|Liverpool Arena, Liverpool, Merseyside}}

|align=left|

Personal life

Lacey's brothers, Luis and Shea are also footballers, playing for Tranmere Rovers and Manchester United, respectively. He also had an older sister Lauren and nephew Zack.{{Cite news |title=Five Tranmere youngsters sign new contracts |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/68106396 |access-date=2024-02-11 |work=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=Shea-Lacey |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/players-and-staff/detail/shea-lacey |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=www.manutd.com |language=en}} Born in England, Lacey is of Irish descent.{{Cite web|url=https://irepod.com/podcast/common-sense-with-joey-barton/ep-4-ex-pro-footballer-now-undefeated-10-0-pro-box|title=EP 4: Ex Pro Footballer, now Undefeated 10-0 Pro Boxer | Paddy Lacey's INCREDIBLE Story – Common Sense with Joey Barton|website=Irish Podcasts}}