Brandon Ashley Cover (born 25 September 2003) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder or full-back for EFL League Two club Port Vale, on loan from Premier League club Leicester City. Born in England, he plays for the Jamaica national team.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Brandon Ashley Cover[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 25 September 2003[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Colchester, England[3] | ||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[4] | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder, full-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team |
Port Vale (on loan from Leicester City) | ||
| Number | 27 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2010–2024 | Leicester City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2024– | Leicester City | 0 | (0) |
| 2024– | → Port Vale (loan) | 8 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2023 | Jamaica U23 | 3 | (0) |
| 2023– | Jamaica | 1 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:00, 12 October 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 08:36, 2 August 2023 (UTC) | |||
Club career
editLeicester City
editCover joined the Leicester City youth academy at the age of seven.[5] In June 2022, he signed a scholarship contract with Leicester City and also began training with the first-team under Brendan Rodgers.[6][7] He signed a professional contract with the club in October 2022.[8] He was praised by coach Ben Petty for his performance at right-back in an EFL Trophy defeat at Fleetwood Town in November 2023.[9] On 27 January 2024, Cover made his first-team debut under Enzo Maresca in a 3–0 FA Cup win over Birmingham City at the King Power Stadium.[10] He played every minute of the under-21 team's 2023–24 Premier League 2 campaign and went on to train with the first-team under new manager Steve Cooper in pre-season.[11]
On 30 August 2024, Cover joined League Two club Port Vale on loan for the 2024–25 season.[12] He made his club and league debut one day later in a 2–3 home loss against Doncaster Rovers.[13] He started his time at Vale Park at right-back for the "Valiants" and earned praise from manager Darren Moore for defending against highly-rated winger James Berry and helping to keep a clean sheet against Chesterfield on 14 September.[14] He scored his first professional goal on 28 September as a matchwinner in a 2–1 home win over Swindon Town in the league.[15]
International career
editBorn in England, Cover is of Jamaican descent through his father.[16] On 19 June 2023, he made his senior debut for Jamaica as a substitute in a 2–1 friendly loss to Jordan at the Stadion Wiener Neustadt.[17] He was called up to the Jamaica U23s for the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games.[18]
Style of play
editCover is a versatile player who can play as a midfielder or at full-back.[19] He is composed on the ball and tends to make tough tackles.[20]
Career statistics
editClub
edit- As of match played 12 October 2024
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Leicester City U21 | 2022–23[21] | — | — | — | 2[a] | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||||
| 2023–24[2] | — | — | — | 3[a] | 0 | 3 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| Leicester City | 2023–24[22] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| 2024–25[23] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Port Vale (loan) | 2024–25[2] | League Two | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
| Career total | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 14 | 1 | ||
- ^ a b Appearances in EFL Trophy
International
edit- As of match played 19 June 2023
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jamaica | 2023 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 1 | 0 | |
References
edit- ^ "2022/23 Premier League squad lists". Premier League. 16 September 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
- ^ a b c Brandon Cover at Soccerway. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- ^ Interview with Brandon Cover Leicester City F.C. Reggae Boyz Commentary. 14 May 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
- ^ a b "Brandon Cover". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
- ^ "Brandon Cover is a Valiant | Port Vale FC". Port Vale FC. 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
- ^ Blackwell, Jordan (10 June 2022). "Seven Leicester City prospects offered new contracts". Leicestershire Live. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
- ^ Blackwell, Jordan (27 January 2024). "Cover makes Leicester debut as Jamaica international rewarded for form". Leicestershire Live. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
- ^ "New Deals For Leicester City Academy Stars". Leicester City FC. 2 October 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
- ^ "'We Weren't Clinical' - Petty Reflects On Fleetwood Display". Leicester City FC. 8 November 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
- ^ "FA Cup: Leicester City 3-0 Birmingham City". BBC Sport. 27 January 2024. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- ^ Blackwell, Jordan (30 August 2024). "Leicester City complete first deadline-day deal as Cover loaned to League Two". Leicestershire Live. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
- ^ "Brandon Cover: Leicester City prospect loaned to Port Vale". BBC Sport. 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
- ^ "Port Vale 2-3 Doncaster Rovers". BBC Sport. 31 August 2024. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
- ^ Baggaley, Mike (16 September 2024). "Bringing pride back to Vale Park". Valiant's Substack. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ^ "Port Vale vs Swindon Town: League Two". BBC Sport. 28 September 2024. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
- ^ "Leicester player in international debut also seeing former teammate now at Everton as Icelander makes special blend". TCF – FILBERT WAY. 8 July 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
- ^ Pawley, Luke (26 June 2023). "Leicester City notebook as Cover makes debut and more Thai prospects jet in". Leicestershire Live. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
- ^ Bailey, Robert (3 July 2023). "U-22 Boyz eliminated from CAC Games – Jamaica Observer". Jamaica Observer. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
- ^ "Port Vale bring in Jamaican International on loan". onevalefan.co.uk. 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
- ^ Baggaley, Mike (1 September 2024). "Vale suffer another home setback". Valiant's Substack. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
- ^ "Games played by Brandon Cover in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
- ^ "Games played by Brandon Cover in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
- ^ "Games played by Brandon Cover in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 January 2024.