Reece George Cole (born 17 February 1998) is an English professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for EFL League One club Exeter City.
 Cole warming up with Partick Thistle in October 2019 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Reece George Cole[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 17 February 1998 | ||
| Place of birth | Hillingdon, England[2] | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[3] | ||
| Position(s) | Central midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Exeter City | ||
| Number | 12 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2012 | Hayes & Yeading United | ||
| 2012–2016 | Brentford | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2016–2020 | Brentford | 1 | (0) |
| 2017–2018 | → Newport County (loan) | 4 | (1) |
| 2018 | → Yeovil Town (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | → Maidenhead United (loan) | 6 | (1) |
| 2019 | → Macclesfield Town (loan) | 18 | (1) |
| 2019–2020 | → Partick Thistle (loan) | 19 | (2) |
| 2021 | Queens Park Rangers | 0 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | Dunfermline Athletic | 10 | (1) |
| 2022 | Chertsey Town | 5 | (3) |
| 2022–2023 | Hayes & Yeading United | 23 | (2) |
| 2023– | Exeter City | 45 | (8) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:53, 9 November 2024 (UTC) | |||
Cole is a graduate of the Brentford academy and made one senior appearance for the club before his release in 2020. Following spells with Queens Park Rangers U23 and Dunfermline Athletic, he dropped into non-League football in 2022. He returned to professional football with Exeter City in 2023.
Career
editBrentford
editCole began his youth career in the Hayes & Yeading United youth system, before joining Brentford at age 14.[4] He was a part of the U15 team which emerged victorious in the Junior category at the 2012 Milk Cup.[5] Cole made 8 appearances for the U18 team before signing a scholarship deal at the end of the 2013–14 season.[6][7][8] He made 32 appearances and scored seven goals during his two-year scholarship and increasingly became part of the Development Squad during the 2015–16 season,[9][10] progressing sufficiently to sign a professional contract in February 2016.[5] Cole was an unused substitute for a number of late-season first team matches in April 2016.[3]
Whilst a regular for the B team, Cole received sporadic calls into the first team squad during the 2016–17 season,[3] before making his senior debut as a late substitute for Nico Yennaris in a 3–2 victory over Nottingham Forest on 7 March 2017.[11] One month later, he signed a new three-year contract.[12] Cole won further attention with long-range goals in pre-season friendly wins over Aldershot Town and Oxford United in July 2017,[13][14] before departing to join League Two club Newport County on loan until January 2018.[15] He made his debut versus Coventry City 9 days later and scored the first senior goal of his career with the only goal of the game.[16] Cole made four further appearances and returned to Brentford in late September 2017, after suffering a knee injury.[17] He returned to match play with the B team in December,[18] but did not win any further calls into the first team squad before the end of the season.[3]
Cole spent much of the remainder of his contract away on loan with League Two, National League and Scottish Championship clubs Yeovil Town, Maidenhead United, Macclesfield Town and Partick Thistle.[19][20][21] He gained significant game time at the latter two clubs, in particular scoring four goals in a five-match spell during November 2019,[22] which saw him win the Partick Thistle Player of the Month award.[23] Cole was released by Brentford in June 2020.[24]
Queens Park Rangers
editOn 15 March 2021, Cole signed a short-term contract with the U23 team at Championship club Queens Park Rangers on a free transfer.[25] He failed to win a call into the first team squad before the end of the season and was released when his contract expired.[3][26]
Dunfermline Athletic
editOn 20 July 2021, Cole signed a one-year contract with Scottish Championship club Dunfermline Athletic on a free transfer.[27] After featuring predominantly as a substitute during the early months of the season,[3] Cole undertook extra fitness training at the Joe Cardle Academy.[28] On his 12th and final appearance of a 2021–22 season which culminated in relegation to the Scottish League One,[29] Cole scored his only goal for the club in a 2–1 victory over Ayr United on 16 April 2022.[30] Cole was released at the end of the season and remarked in July 2023 that he fell out of love with football during the latter stages his time with the club.[31][32]
Non-League football
editSeeking to play part-time football,[32] Cole dropped into non-League football and began the 2022–23 season with Isthmian League South Central Division club Chertsey Town.[33] He scored three goals in his first seven appearances for the club,[33] before departing to rejoin Southern League Premier Division South club Hayes & Yeading United in October 2022.[34] He made 27 appearances and scored five goals during a 2022–23 season in which the club won the Middlesex Senior Cup.[35][36] He became a free agent at the end of the season.[37]
Exeter City
editCole joined League One club Exeter City on trial during the 2023–24 pre-season.[38] After 2+1⁄2 weeks at St James Park, he signed a one-year contract, with the option of a further year, on 10 July 2023.[38] The move reunited him with his former Partick Thistle manager Gary Caldwell.[38] Following 17 appearances and one goal by mid-November 2023, Cole signed a new 18-month contract, with the option of a further year.[39] Cole captained the team during three matches late in December and ended a mid-table 2023-24 season with 42 appearances and seven goals.[40][41][42] In July 2024, Cole signed a one-year extension to his existing contract, with the option of a further year.[43]
Personal life
editCole attended Chalfonts Community College.[44] While out of professional football during the 2022–23, Cole worked as a teacher in the London area.[40]
Career statistics
edit- As of match played 9 November 2024
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Brentford | 2015–16[45] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| 2016–17[11] | Championship | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2017–18[16] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2018–19[46] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| Total | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Newport County (loan) | 2017–18[16] | League Two | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Yeovil Town (loan) | 2018–19[46] | League Two | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| Maidenhead United (loan) | 2018–19[3] | National League | 6 | 1 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | ||
| Macclesfield Town (loan) | 2018–19[46] | League Two | 18 | 1 | — | — | — | 18 | 1 | |||
| Partick Thistle (loan) | 2019–20[22] | Scottish Championship | 19 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3[d] | 1 | 25 | 4 |
| Dunfermline Athletic | 2021–22[30] | Scottish Championship | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 |
| Chertsey Town | 2022–23[33] | Isthmian League South Central Division | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | 1[e] | 0 | 7 | 3 | |
| Hayes & Yeading United | 2022–23[35] | Southern League Premier Division South | 23 | 2 | — | — | 4[f] | 3 | 27 | 5 | ||
| Exeter City | 2023–24[41] | League One | 39 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 7 |
| 2024–25[47] | League One | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 9 | 1 | |
| Total | 45 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 51 | 8 | ||
| Career total | 132 | 19 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 154 | 24 | ||
- ^ Includes FA Cup, Scottish Cup
- ^ Includes EFL Cup
- ^ a b Appearance in EFL Trophy
- ^ Appearances in Scottish Challenge Cup
- ^ Appearance in FA Trophy
- ^ Appearances in Middlesex Senior Cup
Honours
editHayes & Yeading United
- Middlesex Senior Cup: 2022–23[36]
Individual
- Partick Thistle Player of the Month: November 2019[23]
- Exeter City Player of the Month: February 2024[48]
References
edit- ^ "Club list of registered players: As at 19th May 2018: Brentford" (PDF). English Football League. p. 8. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
- ^ "Reece Cole". 11v11.com. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g Reece Cole at Soccerway. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
- ^ "Latest News". Hayes & Yeading United Football Club. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
- ^ a b Brett, Ciaran. "Brentford duo Reece Cole and Chris Mepham sign first professional contracts". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
- ^ Brett, Ciaran. "Youth Team Stats 2012/13". www.brentfordfc.com. Archived from the original on 19 July 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
- ^ Brett, Ciaran. "2013/14 Youth Team Statistics". www.brentfordfc.com. Archived from the original on 19 July 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
- ^ Wickham, Chris. "Brentford Football Club take on new Youth Team recruits for 2014/15 season". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
- ^ Brett, Ciaran. "2014/15 Youth Team player statistics". www.brentfordfc.com. Archived from the original on 24 May 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
- ^ "Youth Team Player Stats". www.brentfordfc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 7 September 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
- ^ a b "Games played by Reece Cole in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
- ^ "Brentford B Team midfielder Reece Cole signs new three year contract". Retrieved 3 April 2017.
- ^ "Aldershot Town 1 Brentford 5". Brentford FC. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
- ^ "Oxford United vs Brentford". Brentford FC. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
- ^ "Reece Cole joins Newport County on loan". Brentford FC. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
- ^ a b c "Games played by Reece Cole in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
- ^ "Reece Cole and Zain Westbrooke return to Jersey Road". Brentford FC. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "Reece Cole loan ends". Brentford FC. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
- ^ "Reece Cole joins Maidenhead United on loan". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
- ^ "Reece Cole makes Macclesfield move". www.brentfordfc.com. Archived from the original on 21 July 2020. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
- ^ "Reece Cole extends Partick Thistle loan". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
- ^ a b "Games played by Reece Cole in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
- ^ a b "Marcus Forss on target as AFC Wimbledon secure three points". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
- ^ "Nine players depart Brentford FC". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
- ^ "Under-23s sign Reece Cole on short-term deal". QPR. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
- ^ Temple, Alan. "Dunfermline sign ex-Partick Thistle midfielder as Pars await Kai Kennedy clarity". The Courier. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
- ^ "Reece Cole signs for Dunfermline". Dunfermline Athletic Football Club. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
- ^ "Cole has Pars goal after training with Joe". Dunfermline Press. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
- ^ "Dunfermline 0 Queens Park 1". Dunfermline Athletic Football Club. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
- ^ a b "Games played by Reece Cole in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
- ^ "Playing Squad Update". Dunfermline Athletic Football Club. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
- ^ a b "💬 Reece Cole: "I've fallen in love with football again."". www.exetercityfc.co.uk. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
- ^ a b c "Chertsey Town | Appearances | Reece Cole | 2022–2023". Football Web Pages. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
- ^ "Reece Cole – Midfielder". Hayes & Yeading United Football Club. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
- ^ a b "Reece Cole Profile". Aylesbury United FC. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
- ^ a b "Match Report". Hayes & Yeading United Football Club. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
- ^ "Exeter City sign midfielder Cole after trial". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
- ^ a b c "✍️ Reece Cole is a Grecian!". www.exetercityfc.co.uk. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
- ^ "✍️ Reece Cole signs new City deal!". www.exetercityfc.co.uk. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
- ^ a b James, Stuart (25 January 2024). "Reece Cole on his journey from teacher to playing for Exeter City". Devon Live. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Games played by Reece Cole in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
- ^ Exeter City F.C. at the Football Club History Database
- ^ "It's an extender! Reece Cole signs new one year deal". Exeter City F.C. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
- ^ @CCChalfonts (14 March 2017). "Congratulations to former Chalfonts student @reececole98 who made his league debut for @BrentfordFC recently!! #cccpe" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Games played by Reece Cole in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
- ^ a b c "Games played by Reece Cole in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
- ^ "Games played by Reece Cole in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
- ^ "🏆 Reece Cole scoops both of February's awards!". www.exetercityfc.co.uk. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
External links
edit- Reece Cole at Soccerbase
- Reece Cole at exetercityfc.co.uk