Shaq Forde

Shaq Forde

Personal information
Full name	Shaqai Tyreece Steven Forde
Date of birth	(2004-05-05) 5 May 2004 (age 20)
Place of birth	Watford, England
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.74 m) [1]
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Bristol Rovers
Number	28
Youth career
2012–2022	Watford
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2022–2024	Watford	0	(0)
2022	→ Kings Langley (loan)	3	(2)
2022–2023	→ York City (loan)	20	(9)
2023–2024	→ Leyton Orient (loan)	40	(9)
2024–	Bristol Rovers	10	(2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:12, 9 November 2024 (UTC)

Shaqai Tyreece Steven Forde (born 5 May 2004) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for EFL League One club Bristol Rovers.

Early life

Shaqai Tyreece Steven Forde ^[2] was born on 5 May 2004 in Watford, Hertfordshire. ^[1] He is the son of former footballer Fabian Forde ^[3] and is of Barbadian descent through his father, who played for the Barbados national team. ^[4]

Career

Watford

Forde started his career with Watford in 2012. ^[5] He made his first-team debut on 8 January 2022 aged 17 as a 74th-minute substitute in a 4–1 away defeat to Leicester City in the 2021–22 FA Cup third round. ^[6]

In February 2022, Forde joined Southern League Premier Division South club Kings Langley on a one-month loan. ^[7] He made his debut on 26 February in a 4–0 home win over Wimborne Town in the league, in which he scored a goal 10 minutes into the match, won a penalty kick and recorded an assist. ^[7] The loan was extended by a further month in March ^[8] before Forde was recalled by Watford on 1 April to join first-team training, ^[9] having scored two goals in three appearances for Kings Langley. ^[10] A successful 2021–22 season saw him named Watford's Young Player of the Season ^[11] before signing a professional contract with the club in July. ^[12]

Forde joined National League club York City on 28 December 2022 on loan until the end of the 2022–23 season. ^[13] He scored in the 90th minute of his debut on 2 January 2023 with a shot into the bottom-right corner of the goal as York drew 2–2 away to Gateshead, after entering the match as a 66th-minute substitute. ^[14] Five days later, on his first start for the team, he scored a hat trick, helping York City to a 4–1 home win over Maidstone United. ^[15] He had a successful spell at York City, scoring nine goals in 20 appearance. ^[16]

On 14 August 2023, Forde joined League One club Leyton Orient on a season-long loan deal. ^[17] On 26 August 2023, his second appearance for the club, Forde scored a first senior English Football League goal as he opened the scoring in a 2–0 victory over Cambridge United. ^[18]

Bristol Rovers

On 30 August 2024, Forde signed for League One club Bristol Rovers for an undisclosed fee on an initial three-year deal. ^[19] On 5 October 2024, he scored his first goal for the club, equalising in an eventual 3–1 victory over Burton Albion. ^[20] In October 2024, Forde was racially abused on social media following a match. ^[21] Ahead of the club's following league match, fan podcast GasCast set up a crowdfunder to purchase two flags to go on display at the club's Memorial Stadium representing fans' commitment to diversity and inclusion. ^{[22] [23]}

Style of play

Forde plays as a forward and in March 2022 described himself as being "creative, powerful and always looking to go forwards". ^[24]

Career statistics

As of match played 9 November 2024

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		EFL Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Watford	2021–22 [25]	Premier League	0	0	1	0	0	0	—		1	0
	2022–23	Championship	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	2023–24	Championship	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	Total		0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Kings Langley (loan)	2021–22 [10]	Southern League Premier Division South	3	2	—		—		—		3	2
York City (loan)	2022–23 [1]	National League	20	9	—		—		0	0	20	9
Leyton Orient (loan)	2023–24 [26]	League One	40	9	2	0	0	0	1 [a]	0	43	9
Bristol Rovers	2024–25 [27]	League One	10	2	0	0	0	0	1 [a]	0	11	2
Career total			73	22	3	0	0	0	2	0	78	22

1. Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy

Honours

Individual

• Watford Young Player of the Season: 2021–22 ^[11]

References

1. "S. Forde: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
2. "EFL – Squad List 2022/23: Watford – Under 21 Contract players" (PDF). English Football League. p. 139. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
3. "Forde: "It Means Everything To Make My Debut"". Watford F.C. 9 January 2022. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
4. "Barbadian descendant Forde joins York City on loan". The Jamaica Star. Kingston. 29 December 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
5. "Shaqai Forde". Watford F.C. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
6. Gray, Ryan (8 January 2022). "Watford knocked out of FA Cup by Leicester City". Watford Observer. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
   "Leicester City 4–1 Watford". BBC Sport. 8 January 2022. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
7. "Loan Watch: Hungbo & Forde Find The Target". Watford F.C. 28 February 2022. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
8. "Academy: Forde Extends Kings Langley Loan". Watford F.C. 24 March 2022. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
9. "News: Forde Joining First-Team Training After Loan Recall". Watford F.C. 1 April 2022. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
10. "First Team: Matches: 2021/22 Season". Kings Langley F.C. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
11. "End Of Season Awards: 2021/22 Winners Revealed". Watford F.C. 15 May 2022. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
12. "Official: Forde Signs Professional Contract". Watford F.C. 4 July 2022. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
13. "York City complete loan signing of highly rated Watford attacker Shaqai Forde". York City F.C. 28 December 2022. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
14. Kilbride, Jacob (2 January 2023). "Late strike from debutant Forde earns York City 2–2 draw at Gateshead". The Press. York. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
15. "York City 4 – 1 Maidstone United". BBC News. 7 January 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
16. Ramsey, Gabriel (30 April 2023). "Shaq Forde grateful for York City supporters after Notts County draw". York Press. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
17. "O's land Watford forward Shaq Forde on season long loan". Leyton Orient FC. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
18. "Match Report: Leyton Orient 2–0 Cambridge United". www.leytonorient.com. 26 August 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
19. "Bristol Rovers sign forward Shaq Forde". www.bristolrovers.co.uk. 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
20. "Burton Albion 1–3 Bristol Rovers". BBC Sport. 5 October 2024. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
21. "Shaq Forde: Bristol Rovers 'infuriated' by racist abuse sent to player". BBC Sport. 27 October 2024.
22. "Bristol Rovers fans unite to tackle racism in stands". BBC Sport. 8 November 2024. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
23. Hargraves, Daniel (7 November 2024). "Matt Taylor expresses gratitude for Bristol Rovers fan inititative set to take place pre-Lincoln". Bristol Post. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
24. "Getting To Know: Shaq Forde". Watford F.C. 17 March 2022. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
25. "Games played by in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
26. "Games played by Shaq Forde in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
27. "Games played by Shaq Forde in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 November 2024.

External links

• Profile at the York City F.C. website
• Profile at the Watford F.C. website