Joel Dixon

Joel Dixon

Dixon warming up for Hartlepool United in 2023
Personal information
Full name	Joel Stephen Dixon [1]
Date of birth	(1993-12-09) 9 December 1993 (age 30)
Place of birth	Middlesbrough, England
Height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) [2]
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team	Hartlepool United
Number	1
Youth career
0000–2012	Sunderland
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2012–2015	Sunderland	0	(0)
2013	→ Workington (loan)	6	(0)
2013	→ Workington (loan)	6	(0)
2014	→ Boston United (loan)	16	(0)
2014	→ Hartlepool United (loan)	0	(0)
2015	→ Gateshead (loan)	6	(0)
2015–2021	Barrow	189	(0)
2021–2023	Bolton Wanderers	24	(0)
2023–	Hartlepool United	32	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10:44, 1 September 2024 (UTC)

Joel Stephen Dixon (born 9 December 1993) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for National League side Hartlepool United.

Born in Middlesbrough, Dixon came through the ranks at Sunderland. After loan spells with Workington, Boston United, Hartlepool United and Gateshead, he departed Sunderland in 2015. He joined non-League Barrow and was a member of the team that won promotion to the Football League as champions in 2020. After six seasons with Barrow, he moved to League One club Bolton Wanderers. He won the EFL Trophy in his second season before re-joining Hartlepool United in 2023.

Career

Born in Middlesbrough, ^[2] Dixon began his career at Sunderland, spending two loan spells at Workington. ^[3] He moved on loan to Boston United in November 2014. ^[4] After a loan spell with Hartlepool United he moved on loan to Gateshead in March 2015. ^{[5] [6]}

Barrow

He moved to Barrow in 2015. ^[7] Dixon was a part of the Barrow side that won the National League in the 2019–20 season, featuring in all 37 matches, ^[8] before the early curtailment of the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic with Barrow being awarded the title after the standings were determined on a points-per-game basis. ^{[9] [10]} Dixon then appeared in all 46 matches the following season as Barrow avoided relegation. ^[11] At the end of the 2020–21 season, Dixon was offered a new contract with the club. ^[12]

Bolton Wanderers

On 25 June 2021, Bolton Wanderers announced that Dixon would join them on 1 July on a two-year deal after he rejected the contract offer from Barrow. ^{[13] [14]} His debut came on 10 August against EFL Championship side Barnsley in the EFL Cup where he kept a clean sheet in a 0–0 draw and then saved Devante Cole's penalty in the resultant penalty shoot-out, helping Bolton win the game. ^[15] His league debut came the following Saturday away at AFC Wimbledon. ^[16] He was an unused substitute in the 2023 EFL Trophy final. Bolton went on to win 4–0 against Plymouth Argyle to win the trophy. ^[17] On 23 May the club confirmed that Dixon would be leaving at the end of his contract in June. ^[18]

Hartlepool United

In June 2023 it was announced that Dixon would sign for National League side Hartlepool United on 1 July. ^[19] He made his Hartlepool debut on the opening match of the season in a 3–2 defeat to Barnet. ^[20] However, he lost his position as first choice goalkeeper to Peter Jameson after six games. ^[21] He later returned to the starting eleven at the end of October. ^[22] At the end of the 2023–24 season, Dixon was made available for transfer having made 28 appearances throughout the campaign. ^{[23] [2]} In September 2024, it was announced he would be out for a minimum of three months following an ACL injury. ^[24]

Career statistics

As of 31 August 2024

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
Sunderland	2014–15 [25]	Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Boston United (loan)	2014–15 [2]	Conference North	16	0	0	0	—		3 [lower-alpha 1]	0	19	0
Gateshead (loan)	2014–15 [2]	Conference Premier	6	0	0	0	—		0	0	6	0
Barrow	2015–16 [2]	National League	46	0	1	0	—		2 [lower-alpha 1]	0	49	0
	2016–17 [2]	National League	21	0	3	0	—		0	0	24	0
	2017–18 [2]	National League	11	0	1	0	—		3 [lower-alpha 1]	0	15	0
	2018–19 [2]	National League	28	0	0	0	—		0	0	28	0
	2019–20 [2]	National League	37	0	1	0	—		1 [lower-alpha 1]	0	39	0
	2020–21 [11]	League Two	46	0	0	0	1	0	1 [lower-alpha 2]	0	48	0
	Total		189	0	6	0	1	0	7	0	203	0
Bolton Wanderers	2021–22 [26]	League One	23	0	2	0	1	0	3 [lower-alpha 2]	0	29	0
	2022–23 [27]	League One	1	0	0	0	2	0	4 [lower-alpha 2]	0	7	0
	Total		24	0	2	0	3	0	7	0	36	0
Hartlepool United	2023–24 [2]	National League	26	0	0	0	—		2 [lower-alpha 1]	0	28	0
	2024–25 [2]	National League	6	0	0	0	—		0	0	6	0
	Total		32	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	34	0
Career Total			267	0	8	0	4	0	19	0	298	0

1. Appearance(s) in FA Trophy
2. Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy

Honours

Barrow

• National League: 2019–20 ^[2]

Bolton Wanderers

• EFL Trophy: 2022–23 ^[17]

References

1. "Notification of shirt numbers: Barrow" (PDF). English Football League. p. 6. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
2. Joel Dixon at Soccerway. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
3. "Sunderland keeper Joel Dixon moves to Workington - Tribal Football". www.tribalfootball.com.
4. "Boston snap up Sunderland keeper Joel Dixon - Tribal Football". www.tribalfootball.com.
5. "Gateshead sign Sunderland keeper". BBC Sport.
6. Johns, Craig (24 March 2015). "Sunderland goalkeeper Joel Dixon joins Gateshead on loan until the end of the season". ChronicleLive.
7. "AFC 'keeper Dixon deserved his big moment at Aldershot, says Evatt". The Mail.
8. "Games played by Joel Dixon in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
9. "Barrow Win 2019/20 National League Title". www.barrowafc.com. 18 June 2020. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
10. "Barrow promoted back to English Football League after National League vote". BBC Sport. 17 June 2020. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
11. "Games played by Joel Dixon in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
12. "Bluebirds Confirm Retained List". www.barrowafc.com. 18 May 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
13. "Wanderers sign up Goalkeeper Dixon". bwfc.co.uk. 25 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
14. "Wanderers sign goalkeeper Dixon". BBC Sport.
15. "Bolton Wanderers 0–0 Barnsley". BBC Sport. 10 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
16. "AFC Wimbledon - Bolton Wanderers". BBC Sport. 14 August 2021. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
17. "Bolton Wanderers 4–0 Plymouth Argyle". BBC Sport.
18. "Wanderers Confirm Retained List". bwfc.co.uk. 23 May 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
19. Ramage, Joe (4 June 2023). "Hartlepool United confirm double swoop as ex-Sunderland goalkeeper and Scarborough Athletic defender join". Hartlepool Mail. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
20. Ramage, Joe (5 August 2023). "Barnet 3–2 Hartlepool United: Pools beaten on National League return despite late fightback". Hartlepool Mail. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
21. Ramage, Joe (11 October 2023). "This is how Hartlepool United have fared so far in the National League season - gallery". Hartlepool Mail. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
22. "Games played by Joel Dixon in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
23. "Retained List 2023/24". Hartlepool United FC. 30 April 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
24. "It's now been confirmed that Joel Dixon is expected to miss a minimum of three months following his ACL injury" . Retrieved 13 September 2024– via Twitter.
25. "Games played by Joel Dixon in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
26. "Games played by Joel Dixon in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
27. "Games played by Joel Dixon in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 June 2023.