Jacob Bancroft

Jacob Elijah McLeod Bancroft (born 9 April 2001) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for League Two club Stevenage.

Jacob Bancroft
Personal information
Full name Jacob Elijah McLeod Bancroft[1]
Date of birth (2001-04-09) 9 April 2001[2]
Place of birth Reading, England[2]
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[2]
Position(s) Striker
Club information
Current team
 Stevenage
Youth career
–2015 Aldershot Town
2015–2019 Swindon Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2020 Swindon Town 1 (0)
2019 → Salisbury (loan) 3 (0)
2019 → Thatcham Town (loan) 2 (0)
2020 → Wantage Town (loan) 2 (0)
2020–2021 Oxford City 6 (1)
2021– Stevenage 0 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Having spent time at Aldershot Town on youth terms, Bancroft joined Swindon Town's academy in 2015. He made his professional debut for the club four years later and subsequently signed his first professional contract in May 2019. Three loan spells in the Southern Football League followed during the 2019–20 season, although Bancroft was ultimately released upon his return to Swindon in June 2020. He joined Oxford City of the National League South in September 2020. Bancroft signed for League Two club Stevenage in January 2021.

Career

Swindon Town

Bancroft began his career in the youth system at Aldershot Town,[3] before joining Swindon Town's academy in 2015, aged fifteen.[4] Whilst in the final year of his scholarship at Swindon, Bancroft made his first-team debut as a late substitute for the club in a 3–0 victory over Colchester United at the County Ground on 2 March 2019.[5][6] Swindon subsequently offered Bancroft his first professional contract at the end of the 2018–19 season, which he signed on 9 May 2019.[4]

Bancroft played in two of Swindon's pre-season friendly matches ahead of the 2019–20 season, one of which included him scoring in a 6–1 victory over Salisbury on 15 July 2019.[7] Two weeks later, he joined Salisbury on a loan agreement until January 2020.[8] Having made four appearances for Salisbury during the first three months of his time there,[9] the loan deal was cut short and Bancroft joined Thatcham Town of the Southern League Division One South on 15 November 2019.[7][10] He played three times for the club during the one month loan agreement before returning Swindon.[9] A third loan of the season followed when Bancroft joined Southern League Division One Central club Wantage Town on 16 February 2020 on a one-month deal.[11] Bancroft made two appearances at Wantage before the season was curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7][9] He was released by Swindon in June 2020.[12]

Oxford City

Without a club, Bancroft played in four of Oxford City's pre-season friendlies ahead of the start of their 2020–21 campaign, with a view to earning a contract for the season.[13] The trial proved successful and he signed a one-year deal with the National League South club on 28 September 2020.[13] He made his debut in Oxford's 2–0 home victory against Bath City on 6 October 2020, coming as a 95th-minute substitute in the match.[2] Bancroft scored his first goals for the club, also his first in senior football, in a 4–2 win over Haringey Borough in the FA Trophy on 16 January 2021.[2][14] Three days later, he scored his first league goal in a 5–3 win at Hemel Hempstead.[2][15]

Stevenage

After scoring three times in his previous two games at Oxford City,[2] Bancroft joined League Two club Stevenage on 21 January 2021.[16][17]

Style of play

Bancroft has been deployed as both a winger and as a striker.[10][11][17] His physicality, pace and directness of play have been highlighted as his main attributes.[10][17][18]

Career statistics
As of match played 21 January 2021
Club Season League FA Cup EFL Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Swindon Town 2018–19[19] League Two 1000000010
2019–20[20] League Two 0000000000
Total 1000000010
Salisbury (loan) 2019–20[9] Southern League Premier Division South 3010—0040
Thatcham Town (loan) 2019–20[9] Southern League Division One South 2000—1[lower-alpha 1]030
Wantage Town (loan) 2019–20[9] Southern League Division One Central 2000—0020
Oxford City 2020–21[2] National League South 6120—2[lower-alpha 2]2103
Stevenage 2020–21[21] League Two 0000000000
Career total 141300032203
  1. Appearance(s) in Southern League Cup
  2. Appearance(s) in FA Trophy

References
  1. "Notification of shirt numbers: Swindon Town" (PDF). English Football League. p. 72. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
  2. "Soccerway – Jacob Bancroft". Soccerway. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  3. "Youth Graduates – Aldershot Town" (PDF). Aldershot Town F.C. 21 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  4. "Academy quartet sign pro terms". Swindon Town F.C. 9 May 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  5. "Swindon Town 3–0 Colchester United". BBC Sport. 2 March 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  6. "Games played by Jacob Bancroft in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  7. "Jacob Bancroft – Swindon Town". Swindon Town F.C. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  8. "Jacob Bancroft joins Salisbury FC on loan until January from Swindon Town". Swindon Advertiser. 27 July 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  9. "Jacob Bancroft – Aylesbury United". Aylesbury United F.C. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  10. "Thatcham sign new pacy winger". Southern Football League. 15 November 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  11. "Wantage Town gain promising winger". Southern Football League. 16 February 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  12. "2020 Released & Retained list". Swindon Town F.C. 23 June 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  13. "Oldfield bags Bancroft's signature". Oxford City F.C. 28 September 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  14. "Report: Oxford City 4–2 Haringey Borough". Oxford City F.C. 16 January 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  15. "Jacob Bancroft signs off in style with City". Oxford City F.C. 21 January 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  16. "Jacob Bancroft: Stevenage sign Oxford City striker". BBC Sport. 21 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  17. "Jacob Bancroft signs for Stevenage, Luis Fernandez leaves on loan". Stevenage F.C. 21 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  18. "Swindon Town U18s manager David Farrell pens his thoughts on each of his four graduates from the club's academy". Swindon Advertiser. 14 May 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  19. "Games played by Jacob Bancroft in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  20. "Games played by Jacob Bancroft in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  21. "Games played by Jacob Bancroft in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
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