Ben Radcliffe (footballer)
English footballer (born 2003)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
William Benjamin Callister Radcliffe (born 15 September 2003) is a professional footballer who plays as a central defender and midfielder for EFL League Two club Crawley Town.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | William Benjamin Callister Radcliffe[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 15 September 2003[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Derby, England | ||
| Positions | |||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Crawley Town | ||
| Number | 15 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2016 | Derby County | ||
| 2016–2021 | Burton Albion | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021–2023 | Burton Albion | 1 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | → Mickleover (loan) | 19 | (5) |
| 2022–2023 | → Banbury United (loan) | 43 | (2) |
| 2023–2025 | Derby County | 0 | (0) |
| 2024–2025 | → Gateshead (loan) | 19 | (2) |
| 2025– | Crawley Town | 20 | (0) |
| 2026 | → Gateshead (loan) | 13 | (1) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 00:30, 8 April 2026 (UTC) | |||
Radcliffe came through the youth setup at Burton Albion, where he had loan spells at Mickleover and Banbury United, before being released by Burton in June 2023, just two months after his league debut. In July 2023, Radcliffe signed with Derby County and had been a part of the under-21 squad. In 2024 & again in 2026, he was loaned to Gateshead from his respective clubs.
Career
Burton Albion
Radcliffe joined the Burton Albion academy setup in 2016, after a period at Derby County's youth system.[3] His first experience of senior first team football coming at Southern League Premier Division Central side Mickleover, initially on 28-day work experience loan in December 2021,[4] his stay at Mickleover was extended until the end of 2021–22 season.[5] He received high praise for his performances by Mickleover's manager John McGrath, he was used in a wide variety of positions at Mickleover in centre-back, right-back, right wing and attacking midfielder, Burton academy manager Danny Robinson, stating this was a great to his development as a player.[6] At Mickleover, Radcliffe scored five goals during his six-month stay and his versatility, strength and intelligence as a player made him popular with teammates and coaches at Mickleover.[6] At Burton, he won the club's Scholar of the season award.[3][6]
In June 2022, Radcliffe signed his first professional contract with Burton.[3][7] In August 2022 he joined National League North outfit Banbury United on a short team loan.[8][9] This was later extended to the end of the Banbury's season, as he played 43 National League North games, scoring twice.[2] Radcliffe made his Burton Albion and English Football League debut in Burton's 1–0 League One win at home to Cambridge United on 3 May 2023, a game which Radcliffe came on as an 18th-minute substitute, playing in the remainder of the match,[10] he played the game at right-back and his performance in the match was described as "assured".[11] Radcliffe was released by Burton in at the end of the 2022–23 season.[12] His release was seen as a surprise by Burton reporters as he had just started to break into the first team.[13]
Derby County
On 7 July 2023 Radcliffe joined Derby County as a part of their under-21 side.[14] A day later, Radcliffe scored for Derby's first team, in a 2–0 pre-season friendly win at Matlock Town.[15] During his first season at Derby, Radcliffe along with his role in the under-21s, did feature in several first team matchday squads,[16][17] with his first team debut coming on 19 September 2023 in a EFL Trophy tie against Lincoln City as 79th-minute substitute,[18] he played in defence and won several defensive headers.[19] This would be his only first team appearance during the season as an injury from October 2023 to March 2024 would restrict his appearances to 7 Premier League 2 games for the under-21s during the season.[2] He would as feature in the first team matchday squad as unused substitute at Northampton Town on 23 March 2024.[20]
On 7 September 2024, Radcliffe joined National League club Gateshead on loan until January 2025.[21]
Crawley Town
On 3 January 2025, Radcliffe signed for League One side Crawley Town on a two-year deal for an undisclosed fee, reuniting with former Gateshead manager Rob Elliot.[22]
On 3 February 2026, he returned to Gateshead on loan until the end of the season.[23] He was recalled by Crawley on 30 March after suffering an injury with Gateshead.[24]
Personal life
Radcliffe earned a BTEC Extended Diploma and an A-level qualification in business studies during his scholarship at Burton.[6] In 2021 whilst in Burton Albion's academy, Radcliffe won a BBC News Young Reporter of the Year Competition award at the aged 16–18 Me and My World category for documenting his experience as an apprentice footballer at a professional club, with a focus on mental health.[25][26]
Career statistics
- As of 8 April 2026
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Burton Albion | 2021–22[27] | League One | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022–23[28] | League One | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Mickleover (loan) | 2021–22[29][30] | Northern Premier League Premier Division | 19 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 19 | 5 | |
| Banbury United (loan) | 2022–23[2] | National League North | 43 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 2[a] | 0 | 45 | 2 | |
| Derby County | 2023–24[31] | League One | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024–25[32] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Gateshead (loan) | 2024–25[32] | National League | 19 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | 24 | 2 | |
| Crawley Town | 2024–25[33] | League One | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| 2025–26[34] | League Two | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[b] | 2 | 4 | 2 | |
| Total | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 23 | 2 | ||
| Gateshead (loan) | 2025–26[34] | National League | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | |
| Career total | 115 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 126 | 12 | ||
- Appearances in EFL Trophy