Jonathan Tuffey

Jonathan "Jonny" Tuffey (born 20 January 1987[1] in Banbridge, Northern Ireland) is a Northern Irish professional association football player who plays as a goalkeeper for Crusaders and has also appeared for the Northern Ireland national football team. Tuffey started his career at English Championship side Coventry City, however he failed to make a breakthrough into the first team. He then joined the then Scottish First Division team Partick Thistle in 2006, replacing the legendary Kenny Arthur. Following a successful four years at Firhill, Tuffey signed for SPL side Inverness Caley Thistle and then St Johnstone. Tuffey then returned to Northern Ireland to sign for Linfield, where he played for two years before transferring to Glenavon. On 31 January 2021, it was confirmed that Tuffey had signed a Transfer deadline day contract for Crusaders.[2] This signing sparked the end of his 6 year tenure at Mourneview Park.

Jonathan Tuffey
Jonathan Tuffey
Personal information
Full name Jonathan Tuffey
Date of birth (1987-01-20) 20 January 1987
Place of birth Banbridge, County Down, Northern Ireland
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 Crusaders
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2006 Coventry City 0 (0)
2006–2010 Partick Thistle 110 (0)
2010–2012 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 8 (0)
2012–2013 St Johnstone 0 (0)
2013–2015 Linfield 64 (0)
2015–2021 Glenavon 195 (0)
2021– Crusaders 0 (0)
National team‡
2003–2004 Northern Ireland U17 8 (0)
2004–2005 Northern Ireland U19 11 (0)
2006–2008 Northern Ireland U21 13 (0)
2008–2011 Northern Ireland 8 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 10 November 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 17 November 2011

Club career

Tuffey started his career in 2003 at English club Coventry City, brought to the club by scout Willie McKeown. He progressed his way through the academy system with the Sky Blues but failed to make a first-team appearance.[3] Tuffey was third choice at Coventry but was a near ever-present for the reserves.

Tuffey signed for Scottish club Partick Thistle in May 2006.[4] He made his debut for Partick Thistle in September 2006 in a 2–1 win against Hamilton Academical.[5] In the very next game he conceded six goals in a 6–0 defeat to Gretna.[5] He would go on to make 14 more appearances and keeping four clean sheets.[5]

By the 2007–08 season, and with Thistle under new management, Tuffey had become Thistle's first-choice goalkeeper. In March 2008 he won the First Division player of the month award,[6] in a month in which Thistle were unbeaten, including a 1–1 draw away to Rangers.[7] He finished the 2007–08 season with 34 appearances.[8] During the 2008–09 season Tuffey started all 36 league games for Partick Thistle and kept 14 clean sheets.[9] He finished the 2009–10 season with 38 appearances.[10]

Tuffey turned down a new contract with Partick, signing with Inverness prior to the 2010–11 season. He struggled to become 1st choice during his time at ICT.

He left Inverness at the end of the 2011–12 season. His last game for the club was in a 2–0 win over Hibs, although he was an unused substitute.[11] He signed for St Johnstone shortly after leaving Inverness.

Having made only one appearance for St Johnstone, he was released in June 2013 and subsequently signed for Northern Irish side Linfield.[12]

Upon his release by Linfield, Tuffey joined fellow NIFL Premiership side Glenavon on a two-year deal. Tuffey made his official debut for the side in a Europa League qualifier in which Glenavon lost 3–0 away to FC Shakhtyor Soligorsk and lost subsequently 5–1 on aggregate.[13] Tuffey has since replaced James McGrath as Glenavon's first choice goalkeeper and won the Glenavon player of the month award for August 2015.[14]

On 23 January 2021, Glenavon Manager Gary Hamilton told the club's website that Tuffey had turned down the offer of a new contract, stating, "He's looking for something else in his career, he's looking for a new challenge."[15] On 31 January 2021, on the Transfer day deadline, news broke from Seaview that Tuffey had signed a Three-and-a-half-year contract for Crusaders.

International career

Under-21s

Tuffey received 13 caps and during 2007 and 2008 he featured as the captain of the Northern Ireland under-21 team on several occasions. On 1 June 2007, Northern Ireland earned a 1–0 in their opening European Championship qualifier in Moldova. He produced three saves before half-time to keep his team ahead.[16][17]

Northern Ireland

Tuffey gained his first full cap on 19 November 2008 in a 2–0 defeat to Hungary. In gaining his first full international cap, Tuffey became the 28th player to be capped for his country while playing for Partick Thistle and became the sixth Partick Thistle player to be capped by a country other than Scotland,[18] and the first since Adrian Madaschi who played four times for Australia in the summer of 2004. After the game, he said "It was fantastic, it was something that I have dreamed about since I was a boy. It's been a long journey to get here but now that the cap has come I'm over the moon."[19]

He gained his second full cap and first start on 6 June 2009 in the 3–0 defeat to Italy. He produced a number of saves including a Giampaolo Pazzini penalty.[20]

His third cap came in the 1–1 friendly draw against Israel.[21] Tuffey came on at half time replacing Maik Taylor and keeping a clean sheet in the second half,[22] which included a block with his left leg in the 80th minute from a Roberto Collauti turn and shot.[23]

Tuffey started for Northern Ireland in an international friendly against Morocco on 17 November 2010 in which he kept a clean sheet in the first half before being replaced at half time. He then played in the 2011 Nations Cup match against Scotland on 9 February 2011, a 3–0 defeat for Northern Ireland.

Career statistics
As of match played on 16 December 2020.[5][8][9][10]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupLeague CupContinentalOtherTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Partick Thistle2006–071501000——160
2007–082605030——340
2008–093602030——410
2009–103301040—2[lower-alpha 1]0400
Total110090100—201310
Inverness CT2010–11302020——70
2011–12403010——80
Total705030——150
St Johnstone2012–1300001000—10
Linfield2013–1438010204[lower-alpha 2]0—450
2014–1521000004[lower-alpha 2]0—250
Total590102080—700
Glenavon2015–1637040001[lower-alpha 2]0—420
2016–1738030002[lower-alpha 2]01[lower-alpha 3]0440
2017–1838020001[lower-alpha 2]0—410
2018–1938010001[lower-alpha 2]0—400
2019–202700000002[lower-alpha 1]0290
2020–21700000000070
Total18501000050302130
Career total3610250160130504200
  1. Appearances in the Scottish Challenge Cup.
  2. Appearances in the UEFA Europa League.
  3. Appearances in the NIFL Charity Shield.

Honours
Scottish First Division Player of the Month
March 2008

References
  1. "2008–2009 Squad Team Partick Thisle Football Club". Partick Thistle Football Club Ltd. Archived from the original on 13 October 2007. Retrieved 22 November 2008.
  2. https://www.crusadersfc.com/news-room
  3. "Sheridan replaces Moore at Latics". ESPNsoccernet. Retrieved 10 March 2009.
  4. "Partick Thistle Partick land Coventry goalkeeper". BBC Sport. 30 May 2006. Retrieved 12 March 2009.
  5. "Jonathan Tuffey". Soccerbase. CENTURYCOMM LIMITED. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  6. "BBC SPORT Football My Club Partick Thistle Jags duo at the double for awards". BBC Sport Media. 12 April 2008. Retrieved 22 November 2008.
  7. Thomas McGuigan (19 March 2008). "Rangers 1–1 Partick Thistle". BBC Sport Media. Retrieved 23 November 2008.
  8. "Jonathan Tuffey". Soccerbase. CENTURYCOMM LIMITED. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  9. "Jonathan Tuffey". Soccerbase. CENTURYCOMM LIMITED. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  10. "J. Tuffey". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  11. "NI keep Jonathan Tuffey signs for Inverness". BBC Sport. 14 July 2010.,
  12. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22991949
  13. "Irish Premiership side Glenavon have been knocked out of the Europa League 5–1 on aggregate by Shakhtyor Soligorsk of Belarus". www.bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  14. "Player of the Month – August". glenavonfc.com.
  15. https://www.glenavonfc.com/2021/01/23/exclusive-gary-hamilton-talks-to-glenavon-media/
  16. "uefa.com — UEFA European U-21 C'ship — Fixtures & Results — Match Specific". UEFA.com. Archived from the original on 30 October 2008. Retrieved 10 March 2009.
  17. "NI Under-21s earn win in Moldova". BBC Sport Media. 1 June 2007. Retrieved 10 March 2009.
  18. Fraser Wilson. "Cap joy for Partick Thistle keeper Jonny Tuffey". Scottish Daily Record and Sunday Mail Ltd. Retrieved 29 November 2008.
  19. "News Pressbox Partick Thistle Football Club". Partick Thistle Football Club Ltd. Retrieved 20 November 2008.
  20. "BBC SPORT Football International Italy 3–0 Northern Ireland". BBC Sport. 6 June 2009. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
  21. "BBC SPORT Football Internationals N Ireland 1–1 Israel". BBC Sport Media. 12 August 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
  22. "Another Cap for Jonny". Partick Thistle Football Club Ltd. Archived from the original on 17 August 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
  23. "In Pictures:Northern Ireland 1 Israel 1". belfasttelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
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