Luke Hannant

Luke James Hannant (born 4 November 1993) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL League Two club Cambridge United.

Luke Hannant
Personal information
Full name Luke James Hannant[1]
Date of birth (1993-11-04) 4 November 1993[2]
Place of birth Great Yarmouth, England[3]
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[4]
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Cambridge United
Number 7
Youth career
2003–2008 Norwich City
2010–2012 Cambridge United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2014 Dereham Town
2014–2016 Team Northumbria
2016–2018 Gateshead 37 (4)
2016 → South Shields (dual registration) 4 (1)
2018–2019 Port Vale 63 (4)
2019– Cambridge United 50 (2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:14, 26 January 2021 (UTC)

He spent his youth with Norwich City and Cambridge United, before embarking on a degree at Northumbria University. During his time as a student he played non-league football for Dereham Town and Team Northumbria. He helped Dareham to win the Eastern Counties League Premier Division championship title in 2012–13. He joined Gateshead in 2016, and after returning from a dual registration spell at South Shields managed to established himself in the first-team. He was signed by Port Vale in January 2018, before he made a return to Cambridge United in May 2019.

Club career

Early career

Hannant spent his youth at the Academy at Norwich City before being released at the age of 14, at which point he joined the Cambridge United youth-team. Released by Cambridge at the age of 18, he took up a football scholarship at Northumbria University, and would go on to graduate with a 2:1 degree in Sport & Exercise Science in 2016.[5] During this time he also played in the Eastern Counties League and Isthmian League for Dereham Town and in the Northern League for Team Northumbria. He was an important part of the "Magpies" side that finished the 2012–13 season as champions of the Eastern Counties League Premier Division.[6]

Gateshead

He spent the summer of 2016 on trial at Gateshead before agreeing to join the club on non-contract terms.[7] He went on to join Northern League Division One club South Shields on a dual registration deal.[8] He scored on his debut for the "Mariners" in a 5–0 home win over Jarrow Roofing Boldon Community Association on 27 September.[9] He played a total of four games for South Shields.[10] He made his National League debut for the "Tynesiders" on 22 October, in a 2–0 win at Maidstone United.[11] He scored his first goal for the "Heed" on New Year's Eve, in a 4–1 victory over Barrow at the Gateshead International Stadium, where he was also named as Man of the Match.[12] He was signed to a contract at Gateshead in March 2017, which would keep him tied to the club in summer 2018.[13] He ended the 2016–17 season with two goals in 21 appearances, and scored three goals in 23 games in the first half of the 2017–18 campaign. Speaking in January 2018, manager Steve Watson said that "Hannant has been one of our best players this season".[14]

Port Vale

On 18 January 2018, Hannant signed an 18-month contract with EFL League Two side Port Vale after being signed for an undisclosed fee – reported to be a low five-figure sum – by Neil Aspin, his former manager at Gateshead.[15][16] Despite being a newcomer to the English Football League, he was described as "a rare positive for the Valiants in a difficult start to 2018", and credited his good start to his career to the support of fellow midfielders Michael Tonge, Antony Kay and Danny Pugh.[17] On 17 March, he scored his first goal in the Football League with curling effort from outside the box in a 2–2 draw with Stevenage at Vale Park; he went on to say that "I was a bit speechless when it went in".[18][19]

He began the 2018–19 season in good form on the left-side of midfield, scoring two goals in the opening five games, including a brilliant curling free-kick away at Carlisle United.[20] This led to reports that he was being monitored by EFL Championship club Bolton Wanderers.[21] However, despite making 50 appearances during the campaign, manager John Askey confirmed that he would not be offering Hannant a new contract on 16 May.[22]

Cambridge United

On 28 May 2019, Hannant returned to Cambridge United to sign on a two-year deal with an option for a further year.[23] Manager Colin Calderwood said that "Luke has good experience in senior football and caught my eye against us at the Abbey".[24] He picked up an ankle injury in February 2020 and was sidelined for six weeks.[25] However the COVID-19 pandemic in England meant that he had to wait until August to complete a full day's training with the club.[26]

Style of play

Hannant is a versatile two-footed attacking midfielder, who is able to play in central midfield or as a winger.[27] Port Vale teammate Tom Pope described him as a player with "good energy, is positive, doesn't mind a tackle, is decent in the air and can play as well".[28]

Career statistics
As of match played 30 January 2020
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup EFL Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Gateshead 2016–17[29] National League18210—2[lower-alpha 1]0212
2017–18[29] National League19230—2[lower-alpha 1]1243
Total 37440—41455
South Shields
(dual registration)		 2016–17[10] Northern League
Division One		4100—0041
Port Vale 2017–18[30] League Two181000000181
2018–19[31] League Two45310103[lower-alpha 2]1504
Total 634101031685
Cambridge United 2019–20[32] League Two271002000291
2020–21[33] League Two23110103[lower-alpha 2]3284
Total 502103033575
Career total 15411504010517416
  1. Includes appearance/s and goal/s in the FA Trophy.
  2. Includes appearance/s and goal/s in the EFL Trophy.

Honours

Dereham Town

References
  1. "Notification of shirt numbers: Cambridge United" (PDF). English Football League. p. 16. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  2. "FootballSquads - Port Vale - 2018/2019". www.footballsquads.co.uk. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  3. "Luke Hannant Profile and Statistics". Players. SoccerPunter. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  4. "Luke Hannant - Midfielder - First Team - Port Vale". www.port-vale.co.uk. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  5. "Northumbria University". m.thepfa.com. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  6. "Flown From the Nest - Luke Hannant". www.ex-canaries.co.uk. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  7. Mitchinson, Rory. "Hannant agrees Heed switch – Gateshead FC". www.gateshead-fc.com. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  8. Prince, Daniel (23 September 2016). "Winger Luke Hannant joins on dual-registration deal - South Shields FC". South Shields FC. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  9. Prince, Daniel (27 September 2016). "South Shields 5-0 Jarrow Roofing: Mariners dominant in derby victory - South Shields FC". South Shields FC. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  10. "Luke Hannant - South Shields FC". South Shields FC. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  11. "Maidstone United 0-2 Gateshead". BBC Sport. 22 October 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  12. Surr, Dominic. "Hannant 'Buzzing' After First Heed Goal – Gateshead FC". www.gateshead-fc.com. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  13. Bowron, Jeff (6 March 2017). "Gateshead FC extend forward's stay at the club after impressing this season". NE Chronicle. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  14. Bowron, Jeff (18 January 2018). "Gateshead lose Luke Hannant - Steve Watson's verdict as Port Vale land midfielder". NE Chronicle. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  15. "Luke Hannant: Port Vale sign Gateshead midfielder for undisclosed fee". BBC Sport. 18 January 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  16. Baggaley, Michael (18 January 2018). "Port Vale sign Luke Hannant from Gateshead". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  17. Baggaley, Michael (12 February 2018). "Luke Hannant determined to make Exeter game after impressive start at Port Vale". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  18. Baggaley, Michael (18 March 2018). "Comment as Port Vale edge towards safety and fans vent frustration at owner". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  19. Roper, Matty (18 March 2018). "Luke Hannant on his first Vale goal: "I was speechless when it went in."". port-vale.co.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  20. Baggaley, Michael (22 August 2018). "Luke Hannant in no doubt Port Vale's away form must improve". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  21. Baggaley, Michael (4 September 2018). "Neil Aspin maps out route for Port Vale's Luke Hannant to play at higher level". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  22. Baggaley, Michael (16 May 2019). "Port Vale's retained list in full as nine players are released". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  23. "Luke Hannant Signs". www.cambridge-United.co.uk. 28 May 2019.
  24. "Luke Hannant: Cambridge United sign midfielder on deal until 2021". BBC Sport. 28 May 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  25. "Cambridge United midfielder Luke Hannant suffers injury blow". Cambridge Independent. 13 February 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  26. "Watch Luke Hannant On Return To Fitness Ahead Of Pre-season". www.cambridge-united.co.uk. 3 August 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  27. Baggaley, Michael (18 January 2018). "Scouting report on Port Vale's Luke Hannant, by manager who signed him twice". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  28. Pope, Tom (16 February 2018). "We have to stop quality goalscorer Marc Richards, says Port Vale's Tom Pope". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
  29. Luke Hannant at Soccerway
  30. "Games played by Luke Hannant in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  31. "Games played by Luke Hannant in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  32. "Games played by Luke Hannant in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  33. "Games played by Luke Hannant in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
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