Reece Staunton
Footballer (born 2001)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Reece Joseph Staunton (born 10 December 2001) is a professional footballer who plays as a defender or defensive midfielder for EFL League Two side Grimsby Town.
|
Staunton with Bradford City in 2021 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Reece Joseph Staunton[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 10 December 2001 | ||
| Place of birth | Bradford, England | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[2] | ||
| Positions | |||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Grimsby Town | ||
| Number | 16 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2017 | Bradford City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2017–2022 | Bradford City | 10 | (1) |
| 2019 | → Ossett United (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2019–2020 | → Bradford (Park Avenue) (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2021 | → Bradford (Park Avenue) (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | Bradford (Park Avenue) | 35 | (0) |
| 2023–2025 | Spennymoor Town | 84 | (2) |
| 2025– | Grimsby Town | 38 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| Republic of Ireland U18 | |||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 20:54, 15 May 2026 (UTC) | |||
Born in England, he represents Ireland at youth international level.
Early and personal life
Staunton attended Bradford Academy.[3]
Club career
Bradford City
He made his senior debut for Bradford City on 7 November 2017, at the age of 15 years 332 days, becoming the club's youngest ever player.[4][5][6] He signed a two-year academy scholarship with the club in September 2017, having first joined at under-12 level.[7]
He made his first appearance of the 2018–19 season in a 4–1 home defeat in the EFL Trophy on 9 October 2018.[8] He was praised by manager David Hopkin for his performance in the match.[9]
In August 2019 he moved on loan to Ossett United.[10] He returned to Bradford City on 23 September 2019.[11] He made his first City appearance of the 2019–20 season a few days later, in the EFL Trophy.[12][13]
In November 2019 he moved on loan to Bradford (Park Avenue).[14] The loan was extended in December 2019 for a further month, with Park Avenue manager Mark Bower praising Staunton.[15] Later that month he turned professional with Bradford City, signing a contract until the end of the 2021–22 season.[16] On 8 January 2020 the loan deal was ended early.[17]
At the end of the 2019–20 season he was praised by new City manager Stuart McCall, who said Staunton was one of potentially four youngsters who would join the first-team for the 2020–21 season.[18] Staunton was praised by club captain Richard O'Donnell after an impressive performance on the opening day of the 2020–21 season.[19] In September 2020 he signed a new four-year contract with the club.[20] Later that month he suffered an ankle injury,[21] missing matches before being back in first-team contention towards the end of October.[22]
In November 2020 he was one of a number of young Bradford City players playing in the first team who were praised by manager Stuart McCall.[23] Later that month Staunton spoke about how his first-team run was improving his skills.[3] On 30 November he was ruled out for 3 months due following a hamstring injury sustained in a match the week before.[24] By March 2021 he was still continuing his recovery from the injury.[25]
In July 2021, ahead of the start of the 2021–22 season, Staunton's teammate Niall Canavan told him to remain positive as he continued his rehabilitation from injury.[26]
He was made available for loan to National League clubs in September 2021.[27] He moved on loan to Bradford (Park Avenue) in November 2021.[28] After returning from his loan in late 2021, he was made available for loan again in January 2022.[29] The next month, following the departure of club captain and fellow defender Canavan, Staunton was challenged by manager Derek Adams to "push forward" and challenge for a first-team spot.[30]
Bradford (Park Avenue)
In August 2022 he moved to Bradford (Park Avenue) for an undisclosed transfer fee, his third spell with the club.[31]
Spennymoor Town
On 8 June 2023, Staunton signed for National League North side Spennymoor Town.[32] At the end of the 2023–24 season, he won the Supporters' Player and Players' Player of the Year awards.[33] The following season, he won the Players' Player of the Year award again; sharing the award with Glen Taylor.[34]
Grimsby Town
On 19 June 2025, it was announced that Staunton had signed for League Two side Grimsby Town on a two-year deal.[35][36] The transfer saw Staunton return to the English Football League following an "impressive" season with Spennymoor.[37]
International career
In November 2018 he was called up by the Republic of Ireland under-18 team,[38] having first been involved with the national team set-up since the previous year.[39]
Style of play
Speaking in May 2020, Bradford City manager Stuart McCall described Staunton by saying "he's adaptable because he can play left back, left centre half in a three and can sit in front of the back four. He's got a really good passing range".[18]
Career statistics
- As of match played 15 May 2026
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Bradford City | 2017–18[40] | League One | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2018–19[8] | League One | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2019–20[13] | League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2020–21[41] | League Two | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3[a] | 0 | 14 | 1 | |
| 2021–22[42] | League Two | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 21 | 1 | ||
| Ossett United (loan) | 2019–20[43] | Northern Premier League Division One North West | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Bradford (Park Avenue) (loan) | 2019–20[2] | National League North | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Bradford (Park Avenue) (loan) | 2021–22[2] | National League North | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Bradford (Park Avenue) | 2022–23[2] | National League North | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 36 | 0 |
| Spennymoor Town | 2023–24[2] | National League North | 42 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 43 | 2 |
| 2024–25[2] | National League North | 42 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 45 | 0 | |
| Total | 84 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 88 | 2 | ||
| Grimsby Town | 2025–26[2] | League Two | 38 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5[c] | 2 | 49 | 2 |
| Career total | 180 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 18 | 2 | 208 | 5 | ||
- Appearance(s) in the EFL Trophy.
- Three appearances and one goal in the EFL Trophy, two appearances and one goal in the play-offs
