Matt Jay
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Matthew William Jay[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 27 February 1996 | ||
| Place of birth | Torbay, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)[2] | ||
| Position | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Torquay United | ||
| Number | 27 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2003–2013 | Exeter City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2013–2023 | Exeter City | 163 | (41) |
| 2014–2015 | → Weston-super-Mare (loan) | 5 | (1) |
| 2015 | → Hayes & Yeading United (loan) | 6 | (2) |
| 2016 | → Truro City (loan) | 20 | (6) |
| 2023–2025 | Colchester United | 35 | (1) |
| 2025– | Torquay United | 40 | (10) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 11:00, 30 December 2025 (UTC) | |||
Matthew William Jay (born 27 February 1996) is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for National League South side Torquay United
Early life and education
[edit]Jay was born in Torbay in Devon and he attended South Dartmoor Community College together with Ollie Watkins and Jamie Reid.[3][4]
Playing career
[edit]Exeter City
[edit]Jay made his professional debut for Exeter in a 2–0 loss to Wycombe Wanderers in the Football League Trophy at St James Park on 3 September 2013.[5]
On 22 November 2015, Jay joined National League South side Hayes & Yeading United on a one-month loan.[6]
He scored his first goal for Exeter in an EFL Trophy tie against Oxford United on 30 August 2016.[7] Jay finally scored his first league goal on the 8th of April, in the 2017–18 campaign, away to Cambridge United in a game where Exeter came twice from behind to win 3–2. This came to the delight of many players and fans alike following a run of impressive games starting and from the bench.[8][9]
In 2021, Jay scored his first career hat trick in a 4–0 victory against Leyton Orient.[10] After a month in which he scored five goals and got one assist, Jay received the League Two Player of the Month award for March 2021.[11] At the end of the 2020–21 season, he was named as the Devon side's Player of the Season,[12] and on 29 April 2021 was named in the 2020–21 EFL League Two Team of the Season at the league's annual awards ceremony.[13]
Jay was awarded the Exeter captaincy following the departure of Jake Taylor in the summer of 2021 and was given the number 7 shirt. He continued his goalscoring form into the 2021–22 season, netting 16 times in all competitions. The most significant of these came in a 2–1 home win over Barrow, where he scored a late winner, chesting the ball down from a Josh Key cross and slamming home through the legs of Paul Farman on the volley to secure his boyhood club's return to League One after a decade in League Two.[14]
Colchester United
[edit]On 9 January 2023, Jay signed for Colchester United for an undisclosed fee.[15]
On 23 January 2025, Colchester United announced that Jay's contract had been cancelled by mutual consent, with Jay free to seek another club as a free agent.[16]
Torquay United
[edit]On 24 January 2025, Jay signed for National League South side Torquay United.[17]
Career statistics
[edit]- As of match played on 9 August 2025
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Exeter City | 2013–14[18] | League Two | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 2014–15[19] | League Two | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2015–16[20] | League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2016–17[21] | League Two | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[b] | 1 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2017–18[22] | League Two | 17 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4[c] | 0 | 23 | 1 | |
| 2018–19[23] | League Two | 18 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4[b] | 0 | 24 | 4 | |
| 2019–20[24] | League Two | 14 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6[d] | 4 | 23 | 8 | |
| 2020–21[25] | League Two | 44 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1[b] | 1 | 48 | 20 | |
| 2021–22[26] | League Two | 45 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[b] | 2 | 51 | 16 | |
| 2022–23[27] | League One | 18 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3[b] | 2 | 25 | 4 | |
| Total | 163 | 41 | 10 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 25 | 10 | 206 | 54 | ||
| Weston-super-Mare (loan) | 2014–15[28] | Conference South | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 1[e] | 0 | 6 | 1 | |
| Hayes & Yeading United (loan) | 2015–16[28][29] | National League South | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 2[e] | 0 | 8 | 2 | |
| Truro City (loan) | 2015–16[28] | National League South | 20 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | 2[f] | 0 | 22 | 6 | |
| Colchester United | 2022–23[27] | League Two | 18 | 0 | — | — | — | 18 | 0 | |||
| 2023–24[30] | League Two | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[b] | 0 | 20 | 1 | |
| 2024–25[31] | League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 35 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 39 | 1 | ||
| Torquay United | 2024–25[28] | National League South | 19 | 7 | — | — | 1[g] | 0 | 20 | 7 | ||
| 2025–26[28] | National League South | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Total | 20 | 7 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 21 | 7 | |||
| Career total | 249 | 58 | 10 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 35 | 10 | 302 | 71 | ||
- 1 2 Appearance in Football League Trophy
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
- ↑ Three appearances in EFL Trophy, one appearance in League Two play-offs
- ↑ Five appearances and four goals in EFL Trophy, one appearance in League Two play-offs
- 1 2 Appearance(s) in FA Trophy
- ↑ Appearances in the National League South play-offs
- ↑ Appearance in National League South play-offs
Honours
[edit]Exeter City
- EFL League Two runner-up: 2021–22[32]
Individual
- PFA Team of the Year: 2020–21 League Two,[33] 2021–22 League Two[34]
- EFL League Two Team of the Season: 2020–21[13]
- Exeter City Player of the Season: 2020–21[12]
- EFL League Two Player of the Month: March 2021[11]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Notification of shirt numbers: Exeter City" (PDF). English Football League. p. 26. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
- ↑ "Matt Jay - Midfielder - First Team - Exeter City FC". Exeter City F.C. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
- ↑ "From the playing fields of South Devon to England and the World Cup – star footballer Ollie does mum and family proud". Torbay Weekly. Clear Sky Publishing. 25 March 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2025.
- ↑ "Alumni". South Devon Community College.
- ↑ "Exeter City: Matt Jay earns first professional deal". BBC Sport. 17 December 2013. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
- ↑ "City youngster with York Road club for a month". Exeter City F.C. 22 November 2015. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
- ↑ "Oxford United 4 (T Roberts 12, Maguire pen 36, Taylor 68, MacDonald 71), Exeter City 2 (Jay 43, McAlinden 61)". Oxford Mail. 30 August 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
- ↑ "Exeter City".
- ↑ "Cambridge 2-3 Exeter: Grecians battle to victory".
- ↑ "Exeter 4–0 Leyton Orient: Matt Jay hat-trick fires Grecians to victory".
- 1 2 "Matt Jay wins Sky Bet League Two Player of the Month!". www.exetercityfc.co.uk. 9 April 2021.
- 1 2 Clark, Daniel (8 May 2021). "Matt Jay takes home player of the year awards as he reaches his 20 goal target". DevonLive. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
- 1 2 "Football Manager EFL Team of the Season line-ups announced". EFL.com. 24 April 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
- ↑ "Exeter City win promotion from League Two". BBC Sport.
- ↑ "Colchester sign Exeter skipper Jay until 2025". BBC Sport. 9 January 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
- ↑ "JAY AND GREENIDGE DEPART". www.cu-fc.com. 23 January 2025. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
- ↑ "Matt Jay Is A Gull!". www.torquayunited.com. 24 January 2025. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
- ↑ "Games played by Matt Jay in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
- ↑ "Games played by Matt Jay in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
- ↑ "Games played by Matt Jay in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
- ↑ "Games played by Matt Jay in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
- ↑ "Games played by Matt Jay in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ↑ "Games played by Matt Jay in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ↑ "Games played by Matt Jay in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ↑ "Games played by Matt Jay in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ↑ "Games played by Matt Jay in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
- 1 2 "Games played by Matt Jay in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "M. Jay – Summary". Soccerway. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
- ↑ "Hayes & Yeading Utd 2 Eastbourne Borough 2 Match Report". Hayes & Yeading United FC. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
- ↑ "Games played by Matt Jay in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
- ↑ "Games played by Matt Jay in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
- ↑ Brent Pilnick (26 April 2022). "Exeter City win promotion from League Two". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
- ↑ "Norwich City dominate with six players in PFA Championship team of the year". BBC Sport. 3 June 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
- ↑ "Mohamed Salah and Sam Kerr win PFA player of year awards". BBC Sport. 9 June 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
External links
[edit]
- 1996 births
- Living people
- English men's footballers
- Footballers from Devon
- Men's association football forwards
- Exeter City F.C. players
- Weston-super-Mare A.F.C. players
- Hayes & Yeading United F.C. players
- Truro City F.C. players
- Colchester United F.C. players
- Torquay United F.C. players
- English Football League players
- National League (English football) players
- 21st-century English sportsmen
- People educated at South Dartmoor Community College
