Luke Young (footballer, born 1993)

Luke Young

Personal information
Full name	Luke Young[1]
Date of birth	22 February 1993[1]
Place of birth	Ivybridge, England
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[2]
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current team	Torquay United
Number	8
Youth career
2002–2011	Plymouth Argyle
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2011–2014	Plymouth Argyle	99	(8)
2014–	Torquay United	68	(8)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 25 November 2016.

Luke Young (born 22 February 1993) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for National League club Torquay United. He was released by Plymouth Argyle in May 2014. Having progressed through the club's youth system, Young made his debut in the Football League in 2011.

Club career

Early life and career

Young was born in Ivybridge, Devon.^[1] He signed Centre of Excellence forms with Plymouth Argyle in May 2002, aged nine, and played schools football for Plymouth and Devon.^[3] In the 2008–09 season, he made 23 appearances for the club's under-18 side,^[3] including the full 90 minutes of the FA Youth Cup fifth round tie with Tottenham Hotspur.^[4][5] Despite still being a schoolboy, he also played once for the reserve team.^[4] He was a student at Ivybridge Community College before signing a full-time scholarship with the club.^[4][6] Young made a further 22 appearances for the under-18's in the 2009–10 season, scoring one goal, along with seven appearances for the reserves.^[3] Having played in 11 matches for the under-18 side the following season, where he scored two goals,^[7][8] and three matches for the reserves, Young was promoted to the first team squad in January 2011.^[3]

Plymouth Argyle

He was an unused substitute in the club's league game at Charlton Athletic on 22 January 2011.^[9] Young made his debut one week later against Bournemouth, replacing Northern Ireland international Rory Patterson in the 86th minute.^[10] In doing so, he became the 29th player to represent the club in a competitive game during the 2010–11 season.^[11] "Rory took a knock, but the boy Young has got good feet. He's a bit slight, but he's a good little footballer," said manager Peter Reid. "I knew Rory was struggling, so I just wanted to have a look at him."^[11] He made his first start in a 4–0 defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion on his 18th birthday.^[12][13] Young signed his first professional contract in July, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2012.^[14] "Considering that I've been at the club since I was nine, then to get the two-year scholarship and then at the end of that to get the first professional contract that I've been working towards for all these years, is really special," he said on the club's official website.^[14] He scored his first goal for Argyle against Torquay United on 2 January 2012.^[15][16]

Young signed a new undisclosed contract in April 2012, along with team-mates Curtis Nelson and Jared Sims.^[17][18] He finished the season by winning the club's Young Player of the Year award, having scored twice in 28 appearances.^[19][20] "We know he's a good player, we see him every day. He is a central midfielder. Most of his games this season have been out on the wing, it's not his natural position," said manager Carl Fletcher. "He's put in the hard work, and he's put a shift in. That's what we expect from him." He was released by the club on the 6/5/14.

Torquay United

On 19 June 2014, Young signed for Devon neighbours Torquay United on a two-year deal.^[21]

Career statistics

As of match played on 6 August 2016

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Plymouth Argyle	2010–11[22]	League One	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
	2011–12[23]	League Two	28	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	28	2
	2012–13[24]	League Two	32	2	1	0	2	0	1[lower-alpha 1]	0	36	2
	2013–14[25]	League Two	34	4	3	0	1	0	1[lower-alpha 1]	0	39	4
	Total		99	8	4	0	3	0	2	0	108	8
Torquay United	2014–15[26]	Conference Premier	39	6	0	0	—		5[lower-alpha 2]	1	44	7
	2015–16[26]	National League	8	1	0	0	—		0	0	8	1
	2016–17[26]	National League	1	0	0	0	—		0	0	1	0
	Total		48	7	0	0	—		5	1	53	8
Career total			147	15	4	0	3	0	7	1	161	16

1. Appearances in Football League Trophy
2. Appearances in the FA Trophy

Honours

Individual

• Torquay United Player of the Year: 2014–15^[27]

References

1. "Luke Young". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
2. "Luke Young". Plymouth Argyle F.C. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
3. "Young gun". Plymouth Argyle F.C. 22 January 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
4. "Who are Argyle's stars of the future?". The Herald. 9 August 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
5. "Tottenham prove too hot for young Pilgrims at Home Park". The Herald. 12 February 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
6. "Nine given new apprenticeships by youth chiefs". The Herald. 26 February 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
7. "Young star performer in Pilgrims' opening win". The Herald. 16 August 2010. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
8. "Young's on the mark to snatch win for Greens". The Herald. 9 January 2011. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
9. "Charlton 2–0 Plymouth". BBC Sport. 22 January 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
10. "Plymouth 1–2 Bournemouth". BBC Sport. 29 January 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
11. "Plymouth Argyle boss stays upbeat despite spurned chances". The Herald. 31 January 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
12. "Young starts". Plymouth Argyle F.C. 22 February 2011. Retrieved 11 March 2011.
13. "Brighton 4–0 Plymouth". BBC Sport. 22 February 2011. Retrieved 11 March 2011.
14. "Plymouth Argyle sign Luke Young and Jamie Richards". BBC Sport. 11 July 2011. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
15. "Luke Young sets sights on more goals for Plymouth Argyle". Western Morning News. 4 January 2012. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
16. "Plymouth Argyle boss Carl Fletcher pleased for scorer Young". BBC Sport. 3 January 2012. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
17. "Signed On". Plymouth Argyle F.C. 3 April 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
18. "Curtis Nelson, Luke Young and Jared Sims sign Plymouth Argyle deals". BBC Sport. 3 April 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
19. "Young Young Young Player". Plymouth Argyle F.C. 5 May 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
20. "Luke Young". GoS–DB. Greens on Screen. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
21. "Torquay United sign former Plymouth midfielder Luke Young". BBC Sport. 19 June 2014. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
22. "Games played by Luke Young in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
23. "Games played by Luke Young in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
24. "Games played by Luke Young in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
25. "Games played by Luke Young in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
26. "L. Young". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
27. "TORQUAY UNITED: Aaron Downes and Krystian Pearce are high profile casualties of clearout". Torquay Herald Express. Retrieved 2015-10-18.

External links

• Luke Young career statistics at Soccerbase