Matt Ball (footballer)

Matthew Ball (born 26 March 1993) is an Northern Irish footballer who currently plays for Hendon, where he plays as a winger.

Matt Ball
Personal information
Full name Matthew Ball[1]
Date of birth (1993-03-26) 26 March 1993
Place of birth Welwyn Garden City, England[2]
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[3]
Position(s) Winger
Club information
Current team
 Hendon
Youth career
2005–2010 Norwich City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2012 Norwich City 0 (0)
2012 → Macclesfield Town (loan) 0 (0)
2012–2014 Stevenage 2 (0)
2013 → Farnborough (loan) 7 (1)
2013–2014 → Boreham Wood (loan) 21 (4)
2014 → Farnborough (loan) 18 (3)
2014 Farnborough 10 (2)
2014–2016 Wealdstone 18 (5)
2016 → Farnborough (loan) 4 (0)
2016–2017 St Albans 0 (0)
2017–2018 Hendon 18 (7)
2018 → Kings Langley (loan) 9 (3)
2018– 2020 Biggleswade Town 0 (0)
2020- Hendon 0 (0)
National team
2010–2011 Northern Ireland U17 6 (1)
2011 Northern Ireland U19 3 (0)
2011–2013 Northern Ireland U21 6 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22:00, 9 August 2019 (UTC)

Ball started his career with Norwich City in 2005, and progressed through the ranks at the club to sign his first professional contract in May 2011. During the 2011–12 season, Ball was loaned out to Macclesfield Town. He was released by Norwich in June 2012, and signed for Stevenage a month later. Ball spent a month out on loan at Farnborough in March 2013. He has also represented Northern Ireland at various youth levels.

Club career

Norwich City

Ball began his career at Norwich City, joining the club at the age of twelve and progressing through the various youth ranks.[4] He captained the academy side during the 2010–11 season, and also played regularly for the reserves, scoring eight goals in 14 matches.[4] He was called up to the first-team in October 2010, and was named as a substitute in Norwich's 2–1 home defeat to Crystal Palace, although he did not feature.[5] In the summer of 2011, as a second-year scholar, Ball signed his first professional contract with Norwich, a one-year deal.[6] On offering Ball the contract, Norwich manager Paul Lambert stated — "It's a chance for him to see if he can handle playing with the professionals. Every time he has trained with us he has not let us down at all".[6] The following season, having again played regularly for Norwich's second-string but made no first-team appearances, Ball was loaned out to League Two side Macclesfield Town in March 2012, on a one-month loan agreement.[7] However, he did not play during the brief loan spell, and returned to Norwich to see out the remainder of the 2011–12 campaign.[4][8] At the end of the season, Ball was released by Norwich, having made no first-team appearances for the club.[8]

Stevenage

Ahead of the 2012–13 season, Ball went on trial at League One side Stevenage.[9] It proved to be successful, and he subsequently signed for the club on 19 July 2012, joining on a two-year contract.[10] He did not make any first-team appearances for Stevenage during the first half of the season,[11] and, in February 2013, was loaned out to Conference South side Farnborough on a one-month deal.[12][13] Ball made seven appearances during the loan spell,[14] scoring once in Farnborough's 1–0 away win over Eastbourne Borough.[15][16] He returned to Stevenage, and made his first senior appearance for the club on 20 April 2013, coming on as a 75th-minute substitute in a 3–0 away defeat to Swindon Town.[17]

On 17 May 2014, Ball was released by Stevenage.[18]

Biggleswade Town

Ball signed for Biggleswade Town on 22 May 2018.[19]

Hendon

Ball signed for [[[Hendon F.C.|Hendon]] in July 2020 .[20]

International career

Ball has represented Northern Ireland at U17, U19 and U21 level.[4][21]

Personal life

Ball was born in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire.[2] His father, Tim, also played for Stevenage, for three years from 1984 to 1987.[4][22] His brother Dominic is also a footballer and is currently contracted to Queens Park Rangers.

Career statistics
As of 27 April 2013.
Club Season League[A] FA Cup League Cup Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Norwich City
2010–11[23]
 0000000000
2011–12[24]
 0000000000
Macclesfield Town (loan)
2011–12[25]
 0000000000
Total 0000000000
Stevenage
2012–13[26]
 2000000020
Total 2000000020
Farnborough (loan)
2012–13[14]
 7100000071
Total 7100000071
Career totals 9100000091
A. ^ The "League" column constitutes appearances and goals (including those as a substitute) in Conference South and the Football League.

References
  1. "Professional retain lists & free transfers 2012/13" (PDF). The Football League. May 2013. p. 46. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 July 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  2. "Matt Ball – Sky Sports". Sky Sports. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  3. "Matt Ball – ESPN". ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  4. "Matt Ball – Stevenage FC". Stevenage F.C. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  5. "Norwich City 1–2 Crystal Palace". Soccerway. 19 October 2010. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  6. "Norwich City contract for midfielder Matt Ball". BBC Sport. 24 May 2011. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  7. "Macclesfield Town sign Matt Smith & Matthew Ball on loan". BBC Sport. 15 March 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  8. "Matt Ball – Soccerbase". Soccerbase. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  9. "Tranmere Rovers forward Lucas Akins interests Stevenage". BBC Sport. 19 July 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  10. "Boro bring in Ball". Stevenage F.C. 19 July 2012. Archived from the original on 19 August 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  11. "Games played by Matt Ball in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  12. "Matt Ball moves on loan". Stevenage F.C. 19 February 2013. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  13. "News – Matt Ball". Farnborough F.C. 27 February 2013. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  14. "Matt Ball – 2012–13". Soccerway. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  15. "Ball claims points for Farnborough". Eastbourne Borough F.C. 9 March 2013. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  16. "Eastbourne Borough 0–1 Farnborough". Soccerway. 9 March 2013. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  17. "Swindon 3–0 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 20 April 2013. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  18. "NINE DEPART AS STEVENAGE REBUILD CONTINUES". Stevenage FC. 17 May 2014.
  19. "Exciting New Signing..." Pitchero. 22 May 2018.
  20. https://www.hendonfc.net/Squad?method=view&id=2293
  21. "Matthew Ball – UEFA". UEFA. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  22. "Stevenage Player: Tim Ball profile". BoroGuide. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  23. "Norwich 2010/2011 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  24. "Norwich 2011/2012 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  25. "Macclesfield 2011/2012 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  26. "Stevenage 2012/2013 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
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