Billy Knott
 Knott in 2011. | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Billy Steven Knott[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 28 November 1992 | ||
| Place of birth | Canvey Island, England | ||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Gillingham | ||
| Number | 11 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2005–2007 | West Ham United | ||
| 2007–2010 | Chelsea | ||
| 2010–2011 | Sunderland | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2011–2014 | Sunderland | 1 | (0) |
| 2012 | → AFC Wimbledon (loan) | 20 | (3) |
| 2012–2013 | → Woking (loan) | 20 | (8) |
| 2013–2014 | → Wycombe Wanderers (loan) | 17 | (1) |
| 2014 | → Port Vale (loan) | 17 | (2) |
| 2014–2016 | Bradford City | 64 | (3) |
| 2016– | Gillingham | 6 | (0) |
| National team | |||
| 2007 | England U16 | 1 | (0) |
| 2008 | England U17 | 6 | (1) |
| 2011 | England U20 | 4 | (0) |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13 September 2016 (UTC). | |||
Billy Steven Knott (born 28 November 1992) is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for League One club Gillingham.
He joined Sunderland after being released from the Chelsea Academy in 2011. He played one game for the club, and spent periods on loan at AFC Wimbledon, Woking, Wycombe Wanderers, and Port Vale. He joined Bradford City in May 2014, and remained with the club for two seasons, before he joined Gillingham in June 2016. He has represented England at under-16, under-17 and under-20 level.
Club career
Sunderland
Knott was signed by Sunderland after he was released by Premier League rivals Chelsea in the 2010–11 season.[2] He had been dismissed from the Chelsea Academy and forced to sign a confidentiality agreement after a "smoke grenade incident".[3]
Knott joined Terry Brown's League Two side AFC Wimbledon on loan on 11 January 2012,[4] and made his debut in a 2–1 win against Port Vale three days later.[5] He scored his first goal in professional football at Kingsmeadow in a 2–1 win over Macclesfield Town on 24 January.[6] The 19-year-old received the "Dons" Young Player of the Year award, despite only playing half the 2011–12 season, having scored three goals in twenty appearances.[7]
On 8 October 2012, Knott joined Conference Premier side Woking on a one-month loan.[8] He made his debut at Kingfield Stadium in a 2–1 win over Cambridge United the following day.[9] His first goals came for Garry Hill's "Cardinals" came against Luton Town on 1 January 2013, when he scored twice in a 3–1 win.[10] He scored another two goals on 2 February, in a 2–1 win over Hyde.[11] He was awarded the club's Goal of the Season award for his curled effort against Hyde, which was also nominated for the Conference's Goal of the Season competition.[12] Knott scored eight goals in twenty league games, and returned to the Stadium of Light, at the end of Woking's season, after a 2–1 defeat to Tamworth.[13] Manager Paolo Di Canio handed him his Sunderland debut on 19 May 2013, the last day of the 2012–13 Premier League season, coming on as a substitute in a 1–0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane.[14]
Knott joined League Two side Wycombe Wanderers on a one-month youth loan deal on 20 August 2013.[15] He made his Wycombe debut four days later in a 2–2 draw with local-rivals Oxford United, and manager Gareth Ainsworth stated that: "Billy Knott had an immense debut. He has energy, passion, drive, everything that I like in a player, and on top of that he's got Premiership quality with his left foot."[16] He settled into the first team at Adams Park, and his loan spell was twice extended.[17][18] On 14 September, he scored his first goal for the "Chairboys", in a 3–0 win over Plymouth Argyle.[19] He was re-called by Sunderland on 13 January, 16 days before his loan spell was due to end.[20]
On 22 January 2014, Knott joined League One club Port Vale on loan for the remainder of the 2013–14 season.[21] He scored his first goal at Vale Park with a left-footed strike from 25-yards on 22 March, in a 3–2 win over Tranmere Rovers.[22] In doing so he boosted his chances of winning a contract from "Valiants" manager Micky Adams when his contract at Sunderland expired in the summer.[23] On 1 April, he scored with a 20-yard strike in a 2–1 home win over Crawley Town that was later voted as the club's Goal of the Season.[24]
Bradford City
Knott signed a two-year contract with League One club Bradford City in May 2014, and stated that "[having heard] manager Phil Parkinson's plans to take the club forward you can't really turn that down."[25] Knott made his debut on 9 August in a 3–2 win against Coventry City at Valley Parade.[26] Knott scored his first goal for the "Bantams" on 19 August, in a 3–1 win away to Crawley Town.[27] On 27 August, he scored in a 2–1 win against West Yorkshire rivals Leeds United in the Second Round of the League Cup.[28] On 24 January, he played the first 80 minutes of City's 4–2 FA Cup giant-killing of Premier League champions Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, which he described as the greatest achievement of his career.[29] After the game he received a signed shirt from "Blues" captain John Terry, which he passed on to his Chelsea-supporting father.[30] In the next round he helped Bradford beat another Premier League team, as they ran out 2–0 winners over his former club Sunderland.[31] However he lost his first team place to Josh Cullen, and was released at the end of the 2015–16 season.[32]
Gillingham
In June 2016, Knott signed a two-year contract with League One club Gillingham.[33] Manager Justin Edinburgh said he was "a very bright talent".[34]
International career
Knott has represented England at under-16, under-17 and under-20 level. He scored for the under-17s in a 7–0 win over Estonia in a qualifier for the 2009 UEFA European Under-17 Championship on 24 October 2008.[35] Brian Eastick selected Knott and Sunderland teammate Blair Adams in the 21 man squad for the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia.[36]
Style of play
Knott is a left-footed midfielder with a 'high-intensity, high-energy' playing style.[37]
Career statistics
- As of match played 22 May 2016.
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Sunderland | 2010–11[38] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| 2011–12[39] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2012–13[40] | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2013–14[41] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| AFC Wimbledon (loan) | 2011–12[39] | League Two | 20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 3 |
| Woking (loan) | 2012–13[40] | Conference Premier | 20 | 8 | 0 | 0 | — | 2[lower-alpha 1] | 2[lower-alpha 2] | 22 | 10 | |
| Wycombe Wanderers (loan) | 2013–14[41] | League Two | 17 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[lower-alpha 3] | 1[lower-alpha 4] | 23 | 2 |
| Port Vale (loan) | 2013–14[41] | League One | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 2 |
| Bradford City | 2014–15[42] | League One | 40 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 7 |
| 2015–16[43] | League One | 24 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 5] | 1[lower-alpha 6] | 28 | 1 | |
| Total | 64 | 3 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 79 | 8 | ||
| Gillingham | 2016–17[44] | League One | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career total | 139 | 16 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 162 | 25 | ||
- ↑ Appearances in FA Trophy
- ↑ Goal in FA Trophy
- ↑ Appearances in Football League Trophy
- ↑ Goal in Football League Trophy
- ↑ Appearance in Football League Trophy
- ↑ Goal in Football League Trophy
References
- ↑ "List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/02/2013 and 28/02/2013" (PDF). The Football Association. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
- ↑ "Billy Knott". Sunderland A.F.C. Archived from the original on 1 September 2011. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
- ↑ Wilson, Scott (14 February 2015). "Billy hoping to tie Sunderland in Knotts". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
- ↑ "Wimbledon tie up Knott on loan". Sky Sports. 12 January 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- ↑ "Port Vale 1 - 2 AFC Wimbledon". BBC Sport. 14 January 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- ↑ "AFC Wimbledon 2 - 1 Macclesfield". BBC Sport. 24 January 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- ↑ "Award for youngster Knott". SAFC.com. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
- ↑ "Sunderland midfielder Billy Knott loaned to Woking". BBC Sport. 9 October 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- ↑ "Woking 2 - 1 Cambridge". BBC Sport. 9 October 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- ↑ "Woking 3 - 1 Luton". BBC Sport. 1 January 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- ↑ "Woking 2 - 1 Hyde". BBC Sport. 2 February 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- ↑ Shaw, Nick. "Goal of the Season - The Result". wokingfc.co.uk. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- ↑ "Tamworth 2 - 1 Woking". BBC Sport. 20 April 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- ↑ McNulty, Phil (19 May 2013). "Tottenham 2 - 1 Sunderland". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- ↑ "Knott links up with Wycombe". Sunderland AFC. 20 August 2013. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
- ↑ "Oxford Utd 2 - 2 Wycombe". BBC Sport. 24 August 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- ↑ "Billy Knott extends Wycombe loan stay from Sunderland". BBC Sport. 13 September 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- ↑ "Sunderland's Billy Knott extends Wycombe Wanderers loan". BBC Sport. 28 November 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- ↑ "Plymouth 0 - 3 Wycombe". BBC Sport. 14 September 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- ↑ "Sunderland recall Billy Knott from Wycombe Wanderers loan spell". BBC Sport. 13 January 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- ↑ "Port Vale sign Sunderland's Billy Knott". BBC Sport. 22 January 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- ↑ "Port Vale 3 - 2 Tranmere Rovers". BBC Sport. 22 March 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
- ↑ "Billy Knott playing for contract next season". The Sentinel. 22 March 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
- ↑ Baggaley, Mike (5 May 2014). "Tom Pope named Port Vale player of the year". The Sentinel. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
- ↑ "Billy Knott signs from Sunderland". BBC Sport. 30 May 2014. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
- ↑ "Bradford City 3-2 Coventry City" BBC Sport. 9 August 2014. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
- ↑ "Crawley Town 1-3 Bradford City" BBC Sport. 19 August 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
- ↑ "Bradford City 2-1 Leeds United" BBC Sport. 27 August 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
- ↑ "Chelsea 2 - 4 Bradford". BBC Sport. 24 January 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
- ↑ Parker, Simon (3 June 2016). "Gone but Knott forgotten thanks to one magic moment against Leeds". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
- ↑ "Bradford 2 - 0 Sunderland". BBC Sport. 15 February 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
- ↑ Parker, Simon (27 May 2016). "Knott confirms Bradford City exit". Telegraph & Argus. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
- ↑ "Billy Knott: Gillingham sign former Bradford City midfielder". BBC Sport. 16 June 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
- ↑ Cawdell, Luke (16 June 2016). "Former Chelsea and Sunderland youngster Billy Knott signs for Gillingham after release from Bradford City". Kent Online. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
- ↑ "England 7 - 0 Estonia". uefa.com. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- ↑ "Head Coach Brian Eastick names his squad for World Cup in Colombia". thefa.com. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- ↑ "Old boy Ainsworth tips Billy Knott to impress". The Sentinel. 23 January 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
- ↑ "Games played by Billy Knott in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
- 1 2 "Games played by Billy Knott in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
- 1 2 Appearances and goals for this season are taken from:
"Games played by Billy Knott in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
"Woking vs. Farnborough 7 – 0". Soccerway. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
"Woking vs. Welling United 0 – 1". Soccerway. Retrieved 19 May 2013. - 1 2 3 "Games played by Billy Knott in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
- ↑ "Games played by Billy Knott in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
- ↑ "Games played by Billy Knott in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
- ↑ "Games played by Billy Knott in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
