Jack Simpson (footballer)

Jack Simpson

Simpson with AFC Bournemouth in 2018
Personal information
Full name	Jack Benjamin Simpson [1]
Date of birth	(1996-12-18) 18 December 1996 (age 27) [2]
Place of birth	Weymouth, England [3]
Height	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	Leyton Orient
Number	4
Youth career
2005–2015	AFC Bournemouth
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2015–2021	AFC Bournemouth	20	(0)
2015	→ AFC Totton (loan)	13	(2)
2021–2022	Rangers	9	(0)
2022–2023	Cardiff City	20	(0)
2024–	Leyton Orient	7	(0)
International career
2018	England U21	1	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 28 September 2024 (UTC)

Jack Benjamin Simpson (born 18 December 1996) ^[2] is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for EFL League One club Leyton Orient. He began his career at AFC Bournemouth, where he made 35 appearances, including 11 in the Premier League, and scored one goal. In January 2021, he joined Rangers, where he won a Scottish Premiership title. For a year from August 2022 he represented Cardiff City, of which he left with mutual consent. In February 2024, he joined Leyton Orient on a free transfer until the end of the season, with an option to extend in June 2024.

Club career

AFC Bournemouth

Simpson joined AFC Bournemouth at the age of twelve ^[4] and signed his first professional contract in April 2015. ^[5] Following this, he had a brief loan spell at non-League club AFC Totton during the early stages of the 2015–16 campaign ^[6] before returning to Bournemouth and appearing as a substitute in their FA Cup fourth round tie against Portsmouth. ^[7]

On 24 October 2017, almost two years after first appearing in a Bournemouth matchday squad, Simpson made his first-team debut in an EFL Cup tie against Middlesbrough, scoring the opening goal in their 3–1 victory. ^[8] He made his Premier League debut on 23 December, starting in a 4–0 loss away to Manchester City. ^[9]

Rangers

On 28 January 2021, Simpson signed a pre-contract agreement to join Scottish Premiership club Rangers following the expiry of his Bournemouth contract at the end of the 2020–21 season. ^[10] A deal was then made with Bournemouth that allowed Simpson to move permanently on 1 February; ^[11] the Cherries were granted a sell-on fee and Simpson joined on a free transfer. ^[12] He made his debut against Dundee United on 21 February, coming for Filip Helander as a 67th-minute substitute. ^[13] He finished his first half-season as a league champion. ^[14]

Cardiff City

Simpson moved to Cardiff City for an undisclosed transfer fee in August 2022, signing a two-year deal. ^[15] It was later revealed that Simpson had joined the club on a free transfer, with Rangers due performance dependent add-ons. ^[16]

On 31 August 2023, Simpson departed from Cardiff through mutual consent. ^[17] On 3 October he was charged by the Football Association with using racially abusive language to a teammate on a pre-season tour of Portugal. ^[18] The following month, he was banned for six games and fined £8,000. ^[19] The Regulatory Commission’s written reasons detailed that Simpson had made a discriminatory comment to Rohan Luthra, a British Asian, which was witnessed by Rubin Colwill and Kieron Evans. ^[20] Luthra did not report the incident until he saw an FA presentation about reporting discrimination. ^[21] Simpson, who according to Evans instantly regretted his slur due to his own girlfriend being of Indian heritage, said in his hearing that he did not recall the event due to intoxication but accepted that he must have made the comment. ^{[21] [22] [20]}

Leyton Orient

On 29 February 2024, Simpson signed for League One club Leyton Orient on a contract until the end of the 2023–24 season with a view to extend the deal in the summer. ^[23] On 21 May 2024, the club announced he had signed a year-long extension. ^[24]

International career

Simpson was part of the England national team youth sides during the early part of his career and made an appearance for the under-21 side in November 2018. He played the full ninety minutes in defence, during a 5–1 away win against Denmark under-21s. ^[25]

Career statistics

As of match played 19 August 2023

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
AFC Bournemouth	2015–16 [2]	Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	2016–17 [2]	Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	2017–18 [2]	Premier League	1	0	1	0	2	1	—		4	1
	2018–19 [2]	Premier League	6	0	1	0	4	0	—		11	0
	2019–20 [2]	Premier League	4	0	2	0	2	0	—		8	0
	2020–21 [2]	Championship	9	0	1	0	2	0	—		12	0
	Total		20	0	5	0	10	1	—		35	1
AFC Totton (loan)	2015–16 [26] [27] [28]	Southern League D1 S&W	13	2	0	0	—		0	0	13	2
Rangers	2020–21 [2]	Scottish Premiership	5	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	7	0
	2021–22 [2]	Scottish Premiership	4	0	2	0	1	0	0	0	7	0
	Total		9	0	3	0	1	0	1	0	14	0
Cardiff City	2022–23 [29]	Championship	19	0	2	0	0	0	—		21	0
	2023–24 [30]	Championship	1	0	0	0	1	0	—		2	0
	Total		20	0	2	0	1	0	—		23	0
Career total			62	2	10	0	12	1	1	0	85	3

Honours

Rangers

• Scottish Premiership: 2020–21 ^[31]

References

1. "Premier League clubs publish retained lists". Premier League. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
2. "J. Simpson". Soccerway. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
3. "Eddie Howe insists Cherries youngster Jack Simpson has attributes to compete at top level". Bournemouth Echo. 19 December 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
4. "AFCB - Jack Simpson". AFC Bournemouth. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
5. "AFC Bournemouth: Youth team quartet offered first pro contracts". Bournemouth Echo. 1 April 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
6. "Jack Simpson Profile". Aylesbury United. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
7. "Portsmouth vs. AFC Bournemouth". Soccerway. 30 January 2016. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
8. Prentki, Tom (24 October 2017). "Bournemouth 3 Middlesbrough 1: Jack Simpson stars on debut to help Cherries sweep past Boro into last eight". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
9. "Jack Simpson of Bournemouth makes his Premier League debut against Manchester City on December 23, 2017". Sports Mole. 23 December 2017. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
10. "RANGERS SIGN JACK SIMPSON ON PRE-CONTRACT AGREEMENT". Rangers F.C. 28 January 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
11. "Rangers: Scott Wright & Jack Simpson join on four-and-a-half year deals". BBC Sport. 2 February 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
12. "Jack Simpson signs for Rangers". Twitter, Inc. 1 February 2021.
13. "Rangers 4-1 Dundee United". BBC Sport. BBC. 21 February 2021.
14. Adewoye, Gbenga (11 May 2021). "'Sakala will make Rangers 'a lot quicker and more dynamic' – Gerrard". Goal. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
15. "Jack Simpson: Cardiff City sign Rangers defender". BBC Sport. 10 August 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
16. "Cardiff City's centre-back situation takes a twist as Rangers transfer details revealed". Wales Online. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
17. "Jack Simpson leaves by mutual consent". www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk. 31 August 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
18. Paton, Ewan (3 October 2023). "Jack Simpson charged over alleged racist abuse at Cardiff City". The Herald. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
19. "Simpson sorry for racist language to team-mate". BBC Sport. 21 November 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
20. "The FA v Jack Simpson". www.thefa.com. 1 November 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
21. Doel, Jon (17 November 2023). "The appalling details of Jack Simpson's racist slur at Cardiff City breakfast table that stunned players". Wales Online. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
22. "Jack Simpson suspended". www.thefa.com. 16 November 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
23. "Leyton Orient sign defender on initial short-term contract". Leyton Orient FC. 29 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
24. "Jack Simpson: Leyton Orient defender signs a new one-year contract". BBC Sport. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
25. Lewis, Jason (20 November 2018). "Jack Simpson makes England under-21s debut in Denmark win". Bournemouth Daily Echo.
26. "Jack Simpson". AFC Totton. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016.
27. "Short Corner". Stags Review: the official programme of AFC Totton. vs Marlow Town. 9 January 2016.
28. "AFC Totton on X". X. 17 November 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
29. "Jack Simpson | Football Stats | Cardiff City | Season 2022/2023". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
30. "Jack Simpson | Football Stats | Cardiff City | Season 2023/2024". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
31. "Rangers top-flight champions for first time since 2011 after Celtic drop points". BBC Sport. 7 March 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2021.

External links

• Jack Simpson at Soccerbase
• Jack Simpson at Soccerway