Spearing, Jay

[TLW]

JAY SPEARING PROFILE by Dave Usher Date of Birth - 25/11/88 Nationality - English Position - Defender/Midfielder Squad Number - Cost - Nothing Club Hons (Lpool) - FA Youth Cup 2006, 2007 Reserve League North 2007/08, National Reserve Title 2007/08 Intnl Hons - None

Jay is a talented footballer who has captained the club at various junior levels up to the reserves. He's small in stature but big in heart, and is a very vocal player and a great leader. A good footballer who reads the game well, he's very highly rated by the club. He's a central midfielder by trade but has also impressed in the centre of defence and at right back.

He made his u17 debut in the 2003/04 season as a 15 year old, but despite his lack of experience he was quite prepared to shout at his team-mates and make his presence felt.

He dropped back into the u16 set up for the start of the 2004/05 season, playing a major role in their impressive run of results, earning his promotion to the u18 set up for the youth cup campaign. He played in the centre of midfield, despite being used in defence for the u16s for the majority of that season.

He'd made an outstanding start to the 2005/06 season and even managed to get on the scoresheet in an away win at Middlesboro, before he sustained a broken leg in only the fourth game of the season. He returned as good as ever, flying into a 50/50 in the opening minutes of his comeback game, and forced his way into the youth cup squad in time for the closing stages.

With the reds desperately clinging onto to a 3-2 aggregate lead in the 2nd leg of the final against Man City, Steve Heighway sent on his little organiser to steady the ship. Jay was outstanding in those closing minutes against City, cajoling his team-mates and making sure they didn't lose their heads. He's a born leader, and the following season he was handed the armband for the u18s.

Despite his size, Jay was utilised at centre back in the youth cup to great effect in 2006-07. His reading of the game and strong tackling make him a tough opponent, and the only way anyone ever looked like getting the better of him is in aerial duels. He was an inspiration as the lads went on to retain the trophy, and his performance at Old Trafford in the 2nd leg prompted outgoing Academy director Steve Heighway to tell the Sky TV interviewer after the game that 'our captain could play in the first team right now. He's absolutely awesome'.

Despite his fantastic displays at the heart of the defence for the u18s, Jay is never going to make the grade in that position as he doesn't have the height. As the season progressed he had began to force himself into the reserve team reckoning, and put in a series of man of the match performances for Gary Ablett's side in the middle of midfield.

At the end of the season Jay was moved full time to Melwood and was named in the reserve squad that took part in an u20 tournament in Italy. They came up against the likes of Inter and AC Milan amongst others, and finished in third place in the competition after losing a semi final on penalties. Jay played in midfield, and was named the player of the tournament. A couple of months later he was lining up in midfield alongside Steven Gerrard in the pre-season friendly game at Crewe, and he acquitted himself very well to cap an amazing few months.

The following campaign saw Jay become an integral part of Ablett's reserve side as they swept all before them. He hit a number of spectacular goals from the middle of the park, and captained the side on occasion when Stephen Darby was absent.

Along with Darby, 'Speo' was included in Rafa Benitez's squads for the pre-season friendlies in the summer of 2008. Both youngsters acquitted themselves superbly and did their chances of forcing their way into the senior set up no harm at all.

Video Clips of Jay Spearing in action