Jeff Hughes (footballer)

For the American soccer player, see Jeff Hughes (soccer).

Jeff Hughes

Hughes playing for Fleetwood Town in 2013
Personal information
Full name	Jeffrey Edward Hughes
Date of birth	(1985-05-29) 29 May 1985
Place of birth	Larne, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Height
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Tranmere Rovers on loan from Cambridge United
Number	20
Youth career
2001–2002	Ballymena United
2002–2003	Larne
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2003–2005	Larne	47	(1)
2005–2007	Lincoln City	63	(8)
2007–2008	Crystal Palace	10	(0)
2007–2008	→ Peterborough United (loan)	7	(1)
2008	→ Bristol Rovers (loan)	0	(0)
2008–2011	Bristol Rovers	129	(28)
2011–2013	Notts County	89	(20)
2013–2015	Fleetwood Town	47	(4)
2015-	Cambridge United	9	(0)
2016-	→ Tranmere Rovers (loan)	0	(0)
International career‡
2006	Northern Ireland U21	7	(3)
2006	Northern Ireland	2	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11:30 (UTC) 2 January 2016 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19:01, 4 November 2013 (UTC)

Jeffrey Edward Hughes (born 29 May 1985) is a Northern Irish footballer who plays as a left sided midfielder. He has also played internationally for Northern Ireland, making his debut during their summer tour of the United States of America. Hughes currently plays for Tranmere Rovers on loan from Cambridge United.

Career

Hughes played for the Ballymena United academy, before transferring to the academy at hometown club Larne. He went on to make his Irish League debut for The Harbour Rats, before moving to The Football League in England to join Lincoln City in League Two.

He was originally deployed in the left-back position for Larne, however under John Schofield at Lincoln, he has proven that he is equally adept at playing a more attacking role as a wing-back and a winger on the left side.

Despite Hughes' three goals over two legs against Bristol Rovers, Lincoln experienced their fourth-successive play-off defeat in 2007, and Hughes moved to Crystal Palace of The Championship, reaching his highest level yet. However he struggled at Selhurst Park. He went on a two-month loan to Peterborough United in November 2007, scoring once against Bradford City. In the January transfer window Posh tried to agree terms with Hughes to sign him, but failed to do so, and thus he returned to Palace.

At the end of March, Bristol Rovers signed Hughes on a loan deal until the end of the season, but unfortunately for all parties he was injured on his reserve team debut, after giving The Pirates the lead. He returned to Palace for treatment, before signing permanently for Rovers in the summer.

On 30 April 2010 he was called to the Northern Ireland B national football team for a friendly against Scotland B national football team on 6 May 2010.

On 18 September 2010 Hughes scored his first professional hat-trick away to Dagenham and Redbridge, a game which Rovers won 3–0.

He was one of seventeen players released by the team in May 2011.

On 28 June 2011, Hughes signed for League One side Notts County on a two-year deal. He scored on his league debut against Carlisle United on 6 August 2011.

On 22 May 2013, Hughes signed for Fleetwood Town.

On 14 July 2015, Hughes signed a two-year contract with Cambridge United.

External links

• Jeff Hughes career statistics at Soccerbase