Jonathan Worthington
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Alan Spencer "Jon" Worthington (born 16 April 1983) is an English
footballer who currently plays for Mansfield Town
. He previously played in the Football League
for Oldham Athletic
, Huddersfield Town
, Yeovil Town
and Bradford City. He primarily plays as a central midfielder.
, Worthington began playing for Huddersfield Town
at the age of nine, eventually moving through the clubs youth academy and into the first team. He primarily plays as a hard tackling central midfielder
. Many Terriers fans regarded Worthington as being the main lynchpin of the Town midfield. Other midfielders have attempted to fill that role such as Michael Collins, Andy Holdsworth
, Adnan Ahmed
, Mark Hudson and loan signing Ronnie Wallwork
, but fans felt that the Town midfield Four was incomplete without Worthington in the middle.
He was made captain in 2004 after previous captain Efe Sodje
was stripped of the captaincy after being sent off in a LDV Vans Trophy
match against Blackpool
which Town lost 6-3 in extra time. He was given the captaincy over Nathan Clarke
who was named vice-captain.
Worthington picked up 16 yellow cards in the 2005-06 season
. Another other low point was that through injury he missed Huddersfield Town's high profile FA Cup
tie against Chelsea
at Stamford Bridge
in 2008.
Following Andy Ritchie's departure as manager of the Terriers in 2008, Worthington was relieved of his captaincy duties by caretaker manager Gerry Murphy
, so he could focus on his playing duties. The captaincy was taken up by Robert Page
.
on 30 January 2009. He made his debut the following day in the 1-0 win over Leyton Orient
at Brisbane Road. His loan was extended by another month on 3 March, following impressive displays under new player-manager Terry Skiverton
. He was recalled on 26 March. However, it was revealed on 17 April, that manager Lee Clark did not see Worthington in his future plans and said he was not going to offer him a new contract.
, becoming Dave Penney's second new signing after Rob Purdie
.
In July 2010 he was transfer-listed by the club, along with five other first team players. He joined Fleetwood Town
on loan on 18 November 2010 returning on 2 January 2011. On 25 January 2011, he joined Bradford City
on a one month emergency loan deal. He was recalled by Oldham after one match and released by the club on 27 January 2011 allowing him to seek another club before the closure of the winter transfer window.
. He then signed signed for Bradford on a permanent basis, signing a four month contract.
In June 2011 it was announced that Worthington had joined Blue Square Premier side Mansfield Town
on a one-year deal
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer who currently plays for Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town F.C.
Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
. He previously played in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
for Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
, Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
, Yeovil Town
Yeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
and Bradford City. He primarily plays as a central midfielder.
Huddersfield Town
Born in nearby DewsburyDewsbury
Dewsbury is a minster town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It is to the west of Wakefield, east of Huddersfield and south of Leeds...
, Worthington began playing for Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
at the age of nine, eventually moving through the clubs youth academy and into the first team. He primarily plays as a hard tackling central midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
. Many Terriers fans regarded Worthington as being the main lynchpin of the Town midfield. Other midfielders have attempted to fill that role such as Michael Collins, Andy Holdsworth
Andy Holdsworth
Andrew "Andy" Holdsworth, is a professional footballer who currently plays for Alfreton Town. He has previously played for Huddersfield Town, Oldham Athletic and Morecambe. He can play both in defence or midfield.-Huddersfield Town:...
, Adnan Ahmed
Adnan Ahmed
Adnan Farooq Ahmed is a professional footballer who plays for Bradford Park Avenue in the Northern Premier League Premier Division. Ahmed is a British Asian of Pakistani descent...
, Mark Hudson and loan signing Ronnie Wallwork
Ronnie Wallwork
By the start of the 1997–98 season, he had become a regular in the Manchester United reserve team and made his senior debut on 25 October 1997, when he came on as a 64th minute substitute for Gary Pallister in the 7–0 home win against Barnsley...
, but fans felt that the Town midfield Four was incomplete without Worthington in the middle.
He was made captain in 2004 after previous captain Efe Sodje
Efe Sodje
Efetobore "Efe" Sodje is a footballer who is currently playing for Bury. He is a central defender...
was stripped of the captaincy after being sent off in a LDV Vans Trophy
Football League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
match against Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
which Town lost 6-3 in extra time. He was given the captaincy over Nathan Clarke
Nathan Clarke
Nathan Clarke is a professional footballer who currently plays in central defence for Macclesfield Town on loan from Huddersfield Town in Football League One in England.-Playing career:...
who was named vice-captain.
Worthington picked up 16 yellow cards in the 2005-06 season
2005-06 in English football
The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether...
. Another other low point was that through injury he missed Huddersfield Town's high profile FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
tie against Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
at Stamford Bridge
Stamford Bridge (stadium)
Stamford Bridge is a football stadium in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, West London, and is the home of Chelsea Football Club. The stadium is located within the Moore Park Estate also known as Walham Green and is often referred to as simply The Bridge...
in 2008.
Following Andy Ritchie's departure as manager of the Terriers in 2008, Worthington was relieved of his captaincy duties by caretaker manager Gerry Murphy
Gerry Murphy
Gerry Murphy was the Director of Football Development at Huddersfield Town between 1988 and 2009...
, so he could focus on his playing duties. The captaincy was taken up by Robert Page
Robert Page (footballer)
Robert Page is a Welsh former international football defender, who is now a youth team coach at Port Vale. In an eighteen year career in the Premier League and the Football League he made 475 league appearances for six different clubs...
.
Yeovil Town
After being out of new manager Lee Clark's plans, Worthington moved on loan to Yeovil TownYeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
on 30 January 2009. He made his debut the following day in the 1-0 win over Leyton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
at Brisbane Road. His loan was extended by another month on 3 March, following impressive displays under new player-manager Terry Skiverton
Terry Skiverton
Terence "Terry" John Skiverton is a former English footballer who enjoyed a long playing career at Yeovil Town for 11 years, appearing 382 times in all competitions, before becoming their current manager....
. He was recalled on 26 March. However, it was revealed on 17 April, that manager Lee Clark did not see Worthington in his future plans and said he was not going to offer him a new contract.
Oldham Athletic
On 26 May 2009, he joined Oldham AthleticOldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
, becoming Dave Penney's second new signing after Rob Purdie
Rob Purdie
Robert James 'Rob' Purdie is an English footballer who currently plays for Hereford United after being released by Oldham Athletic on transfer deadline day, 31 January 2011....
.
In July 2010 he was transfer-listed by the club, along with five other first team players. He joined Fleetwood Town
Fleetwood Town F.C.
Fleetwood Town F.C. is an English football club based in Fleetwood, Lancashire. They currently play in the Conference National having been defeated in the Conference National play-off semi-final by AFC Wimbledon in the 2010–11 season.-History:...
on loan on 18 November 2010 returning on 2 January 2011. On 25 January 2011, he joined Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
on a one month emergency loan deal. He was recalled by Oldham after one match and released by the club on 27 January 2011 allowing him to seek another club before the closure of the winter transfer window.
. He then signed signed for Bradford on a permanent basis, signing a four month contract.
In June 2011 it was announced that Worthington had joined Blue Square Premier side Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town F.C.
Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
on a one-year deal