Jeff Minton

Jeff Minton

Personal information
Full name	Jeffrey Simon Thompson Minton
Date of birth	(1973-12-28)28 December 1973
Place of birth	Hackney,England
Height	5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
1984–1992	Tottenham Hotspur
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1992–1994	Tottenham Hotspur	2	(1)
1994–1999	Brighton & Hove Albion	174	(31)
1999–2001	Port Vale	36	(4)
2001	Rotherham United	9	(2)
2001–2002	Leyton Orient	33	(5)
2002	Grays Athletic
2002–2006	Canvey Island
2006–2009	Chelmsford City
2009	Welling United	3	(0)
2012–201?	Ware
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Jeffrey Simon Thompson Minton(born 28 December 1973) is an English former professionalfootballerwho plays as amidfielder.He scored 49 goals in 296 league and cup games in a ten-year career in theFootball League.

Minton began his career atTottenham Hotspur,but only made twoPremier Leagueappearances before being allowed to joinBrighton & Hove Albionin July 1994. He made 199 appearances for the "Seagulls" and was voted onto thePFA Team of the Year(Third Division) in 1998–99. He moved on toPort Valein June 1999 but did not establish himself in the first team. He wastransferredtoRotherham Unitedin March 2001. He helped the "Millers" to winpromotionout of theSecond Division,before signing withLeyton Orientin July 2001. He joinednon-LeagueGrays Athleticin August 2002, before quickly moving on toCanvey Island.He helped the "Gulls" to theIsthmian Leaguetitle in 2003–04, following their second-place finish in 2002–03, and also played in the2004 FA Trophy final.He moved ontoChelmsford Cityin August 2006 and helped his new side to the Isthmian League title in 2007–08. He signed withWelling Unitedin July 2009 but left the club a month later. He joined amateur sideWarein November 2012.

Career

Minton began his professional career as a trainee withTottenham Hotspurin 1992, having been with the club since the age of ten.He scored on his debut on 25 April 1992, whenmanagerPeter Shreevesplayed him in a 3–3 draw withEvertonatWhite Hart Lane,which was also saw farewell presentations forGary LinekerandPaul Gascoignebefore they left for Japan and Italy respectively.He was only to make two further appearances however, oneFirst Divisiondefeat toManchester UnitedatOld Traffordand oneLeague Cupwin overBrentford.

He was released in July 1994 and joinedBrighton & Hove Albionof theSecond Divisionon afree transfer.The "Seagulls" finished 16th in1994–95under the stewardship ofLiam Brady.He described Brady as "like a father figure to me" and "somebody who had great confidence in my ability during his spell as manager".However, rookie BossJimmy Casecould not prevent the club from sufferingrelegationto theThird Divisionat the end of the1995–96season; they were 12 points short of the safety mark set byYork City.Brighton continued to decline and spent most of the following season in last place in the league, recovering underSteve Grittto avoid losing theirFootball Leaguestatus on the last day of the1996–97season with a dramatic final day draw withHereford Unitedthat relegated their opponents. Minton finished as theclub's top scorerin1997–98with seven goals in 39 appearances, as Albion again finished second-from-bottom, though this time were 15 points clear of last placeDoncaster Rovers.New managerBrian Hortonhad a brief spell in charge, before the club finished1998–99in 17th place underMicky Adams;Minton scored nine goals in 38 games, and was voted onto thePFA Team of the Year.In total, Minton made 199 league and cup appearances, scoring 32 goals, in five seasons, during a poor time inthe club's historywhich saw them forced to sell theGoldstone Groundand temporarily reside atGillingham'sPriestfield Stadium.

He joinedPort Valeon a free transfer in June 1999, in a move that reunited him with Brian Horton.He scored four goals in 26 games in1999–2000,as the "Valiants" were relegated out of theFirst Division.Following a 2–1 defeat tonon-LeagueCanvey IslandatVale Parkin theFA Cup,he and four other players were placed on thetransferlist in December 2000;this was despite him scoring twice in the original 4–4 draw at Park Lane. He scored four goals in 29 games in2000–01.He struggled to hold down a place in the first team in the New Year and entered talks withRotherham Unitedin March 2001.He was signed to provide cover for the suspendedStewart Talbot.Minton scored twice on his debut for the "Millers" in a 3–0 win overBristol CityatMillmoor.He made eight further appearances in the remainder of the2000–01season asRonnie Moore's side securedpromotionto the First Division with a second-place finish, just two points behind championsMillwall.

Minton joinedThird DivisionsideLeyton Orientin July 2001.He made 39 league and cup appearances in the2001–02season and was part of the team that beat First DivisionPortsmouthin the third round of theFA Cupin January 2002.He was offered a two-year extension to hiscontractin January 2002 by managerPaul Brush,but left the club in August 2002 and joinedIsthmian LeagueclubGrays Athletic.Two weeks later, he moved toJeff King'sCanvey Islandin a player exchange deal for midfielderAdam Miller.

He scored nine goals in 41 starts in2002–03,and was voted as Supporters Player of the Year, as Canvey finished second in the Isthmian League.He scored five goals in 38 starts in2003–04,as the "Gulls" won the Isthmian League title and promotion into theConference National.He also featured in the final of theFA Trophyin2004,where they were beaten 3–2 byHednesford Town.He scored once in 20 games in2004–05,as Canvey finished 18th.He scored six goals in 40 games in2005–06;however, Canvey chose to be demoted into the Isthmian League despite a mid-table finish.

Minton joinedChelmsford Cityin August 2006,and went on to score seven goals in 43 appearances in 2006–07.He then helped the "Clarets" to the Isthmian League championship in2007–08.They reached theConference Southplay-offs following a fifth-place finish in2008–09,but lost out toHampton & Richmond Borough.Minton was released in June 2009,and joinedWelling Unitedthe following month. He was subsequently made teamcaptain;however, after three appearances, he was released after just a month.

After taking a break from the game, he signed for Isthmian League clubWarein November 2012.

Style of play

According to the Rotherham United website, Minton was a "dynamicmidfielder"and" was a player with a goodpassingability with a liking to push forward ".

Career statistics

Source:

Club	Season	Division	League		FA Cup		Other		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Tottenham Hotspur	1991–92	First Division	2	1	0	0	0	0	2	1
	1992–93	Premier League	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0
	1993–94	Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Total		2	1	0	0	1	0	3	1
Brighton & Hove Albion	1994–95	Second Division	39	5	1	0	6	0	46	5
	1995–96	Second Division	39	8	3	0	4	0	46	8
	1996–97	Third Division	25	3	1	0	2	0	28	3
	1997–98	Third Division	36	6	1	0	2	1	39	7
	1998–99	Third Division	35	9	0	0	3	0	38	9
	Total		174	31	6	0	17	1	197	32
Port Vale	1999–2000	First Division	23	3	1	0	2	1	26	4
	2000–01	Second Division	13	1	2	2	4	1	19	4
	Total		36	4	3	2	6	2	45	8
Rotherham United	2000–01	Second Division	9	2	0	0	0	0	9	2
Leyton Orient	2001–02	Third Division	33	5	4	0	2	1	39
Canvey Island	2004–05	Conference National	19	1	0	0	0	0	19	1
	2005–06	Conference National	40	6	0	0	0	0	40	6
Chelmsford City	2007–08	Isthmian LeaguePremier Division	24	4	0	0	0	0	24	4
	2008–09	Conference South	32	1	0	0	0	0	32	1
Welling United	2009–10	Conference South	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
Career total			472	55	13	2	26	4	511	61

Honours

Rotherham United

• Football League Second Divisionsecond-place promotion:2000–01

Canvey Island

• Isthmian League:2003–04
• FA Trophyrunner-up:2004

Chelmsford City

• Isthmian League:2007–08

Individual

• Canvey Island F.C.Supporters Player of the Year: 2003
• PFAThird DivisionTeam of the Year:1998–99