Hayden Hackney Explained

Hayden Hackney
Fullname:Hayden Rhys Hackney[1]
Birth Date:26 June 2002
Birth Place:Redcar, England
Height:1.78m (05.84feet)
Position:Midfielder
Currentclub:Middlesbrough
Clubnumber:7
Youthyears1:–2021
Youthclubs1:Middlesbrough
Years1:2021–
Clubs1:Middlesbrough
Caps1:56
Goals1:4
Years2:2021–2022
Clubs2:Scunthorpe United (loan)
Caps2:28
Goals2:0
Nationalyears1:2016
Nationalteam1:England U15
Nationalcaps1:2
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2022
Nationalteam2:Scotland U21
Nationalcaps2:2
Nationalgoals2:0
Club-Update:15 February 2024 (UTC)
Nationalteam-Update:11:43, 21 November 2023 (UTC)
Nationalyears3:2023–
Nationalteam3:England U21
Nationalcaps3:5
Nationalgoals3:0

Hayden Rhys Hackney (born 26 June 2002) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for club Middlesbrough.he played his youth at South Park rangers till he was scouted by Middlesbrough

Early life

Hackney was born in Redcar.[2] [3] He attended Sacred Heart Catholic Secondary School.[4]

Club career

Hackney joined Middlesbrough's academy at under-10 level. Having been part of the Middlesbrough team that reached the under-18 Premier League Cup final in 2019,[5] he signed his first professional contract with the club on 26 June 2019, his 17th birthday.[6] [7] Shortly after being named on the first-team bench for a match against Barnsley in November 2019, he was praised by Middlesbrough manager Jonathan Woodgate, with Woodgate claiming "Hayden Hackney deserves to be there because he's been outstanding for the Under-23s".

Hackney made his senior debut for Middlesbrough on 9 January 2021, starting in a 2–1 FA Cup defeat away to Brentford.[8] He made his league debut for the club in the final match of the season as a substitute in a 3–0 defeat to Wycombe Wanderers.[9] He signed a new two-year contract with the club later that month.[10]

On 31 August 2021, Hackney joined EFL League Two side Scunthorpe United on loan until January 2022.[11] After playing in the majority of games in the first half of the season, Hackney's loan was extended to last until the end of the season.[12] In the 15th minute of a 2–0 defeat to Exeter City,[13] Hackney was caught spitting at an opponent.[14] The referee did not see this at the time, but after the game, the Football Association confirmed that Hackney had admitted to spitting and was given a six-game suspension.[15] [16] He made 31 appearances as Scunthorpe were relegated to the National League.[17]

Hackney's game time at Middlesbrough was limited at the start of the 2022–23 season, but Hackney became a regular starter following the appointment of Michael Carrick as manager in October 2022.[18] [19] On 19 October, Hackney scored his first goal for Middlesbrough in a 4–1 win against Wigan Athletic.[20] On 8 December, he signed a contract extension until 2026. Hackney won the Middlesbrough Young Player of the Year Award for the 2022–23 season, having made 38 appearances and scoring 3 goals. Hackney was also nominated for the Championship Young Player of the Season Award for the same season,[21] but lost out to Bristol City's Alex Scott.[22]

On 28 June 2023, Hackney signed a new contract for Middlesbrough, keeping him to the club until the summer of 2027.[23] Hackney captained the club for the first time in a 1–0 home defeat to Aston Villa in the FA Cup on 6 January 2024.[24] On 9 January, he scored the only goal in a 1–0 victory over Chelsea in the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-final.[25]

International career

Hackney represented England at under-15 level. He is also eligible to represent Scotland because his mother was born in Edinburgh. He debuted for the Scotland under-21 team in November 2022.[26] [27] In September 2023, he was called up to the England under-21 squad for the first time.[28]

On 11 September 2023, Hackney made his England U21 debut during a 3–0 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification win away to Luxembourg.[29]

Style of play

Hackney plays as a central midfielder. He often plays as a deep-lying playmaker due to his ability in possession of the ball.

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupEFL CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Middlesbrough U212018–191010
Middlesbrough2020–21Championship1010000020
2021–22Championship0000100010
2022–23Championship343101020383
2023–24Championship161005100212
Total514207130635
Scunthorpe United (loan)2021–22League Two280100020310
Career total794307150945

Honours

Individual

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 23 June 2020 . Club list of registered players: As at 23rd June 2020: Middlesbrough . 9 January 2021 . 18.
  2. Web site: Hayden Hackney . 9 January 2021 . mfc.co.uk . Middlesbrough F.C..
  3. Web site: Tallentire . Philip . 28 November 2019 . Praise for Hackney & Pears and 'more youngsters will get chance' . 9 January 2021 . TeessideLive.
  4. Web site: The Postgate News - Spring 2024 . 2024-07-13 . online.fliphtml5.com.
  5. Web site: Nicholson . Joe . 1 January 2021 . 'Electric pace' 'Top keeper': Five Boro players to watch in 2021 as Warnock assesses academy options . 9 January 2021 . Hartlepool Mail.
  6. Web site: 26 June 2019 . Hayden Hackney Signs Professional Contract . 9 January 2021 . mfc.co.uk . Middlesbrough F.C..
  7. Web site: Brooks . George . 26 June 2019 . Middlesbrough starlet signs new deal at the Riverside . 9 January 2021 . Football League World.
  8. Web site: 9 January 2021 . MATCH REPORT: Brentford 2 Boro 1 . 9 January 2021 . mfc.co.uk . Middlesbrough F.C..
  9. Web site: Law . James . 8 May 2021 . Wycombe relegation confirmed despite win at Boro . 8 May 2021 . BBC Sport . en-GB.
  10. News: Shaw . Dominic . 27 May 2021 . Hayden Hackney rounds off superb season with a new Boro contract . 2 September 2021 . TeessideLive . en.
  11. Web site: 31 August 2021 . Hayden Hackney: Scunthorpe sign Middlesbrough midfielder on loan . 2 September 2021 . BBC Sport . en-GB.
  12. Web site: 4 January 2022 . Hayden Hackney's loan stay extended until end of the season . 20 January 2022 . Scunthorpe-United.
  13. Web site: 15 January 2022 . Exeter City 2-0 Scunthorpe united . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220115181011/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59918818 . 15 January 2022 . 20 January 2022 . BBC.
  14. Web site: 20 January 2022 . Hayden Hackney: Scunthorpe United midfielder banned for spitting . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220120223315/https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/60075035.amp . 20 January 2022 . 20 January 2022 . BBC.
  15. Web site: Kirwan . Chris . 20 January 2022 . Scunthorpe's Hayden Hackney gets six-game ban for spitting . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220120223507/https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/19863253.scunthorpes-hayden-hackney-gets-six-game-ban-spitting/ . 20 January 2022 . 20 January 2022 . South Wales Argus . en-gb.
  16. Web site: 20 January 2022 . Hackney set for six-game suspension . 20 January 2022 . Scunthorpe-United.
  17. News: Johns . Craig . 13 December 2022 . Midfield starlet Hayden Hackney shares the secret to his impressive Boro form . 10 January 2024 . TeessideLive . Reach plc . en.
  18. News: Bennett . Charlie . 8 December 2022 . Hackney signs long-term contract extension . 10 January 2024 . TeessideLive . Reach plc . en.
  19. News: Shaw . Dominic . 18 February 2023 . Middlesbrough's Hayden Hackney secret is out as Carrick tells of 'real pleasure' . 10 January 2024 . The Northern Echo . en.
  20. Web site: 19 October 2022 . Wigan 1–4 Middlesbrough . 20 October 2022 . BBC Sport.
  21. Web site: 11 April 2023 . EFL Awards 2023 shortlists revealed . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230530142109/https://www.efl.com/news/2023/april/efl-awards-2023-shortlists-revealed/ . 30 May 2023 . 30 May 2023 . efl.com . English Football League . en.
  22. Web site: 23 April 2023 . Scott wins EFL Championship Young Player of the Year . 10 January 2024 . bcfc.co.uk . Bristol City F.C..
  23. Web site: 28 June 2023 . Hayden Hackney pens deal until 2027 . 9 January 2024 . mfc.co.uk . Middlesbrough F.C..
  24. Web site: 6 January 2024 . Match Review: Boro 0 Aston Villa 1 . 7 January 2024 . mfc.co.uk . Middlesbrough F.C..
  25. Web site: Bate . Adam . 10 January 2024 . Middlesbrough 1–0 Chelsea: Hayden Hackney earns Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg lead for Championship side . 10 January 2024 . Sky Sports . en.
  26. Web site: Hayden Hackney . 10 January 2024 . scottishfa.co.uk . Scottish Football Association.
  27. Web site: 4 November 2022 . Hayden Hackney Rewarded With Scotland Call . 4 November 2022 . mfc.co.uk . Middlesbrough FC.
  28. Web site: 1 September 2023 . England MU21s squad named for Luxembourg . 1 September 2023 . englandfootball.com.
  29. Web site: Dickson Jefford . Oli . 11 September 2023 . Report: Luxembourg 0-3 England MU21s . 11 September 2023 . EnglandFootball.com.
  30. Web site: 13 May 2023 . Double Recognition For Chuba Akpom At Player Of The Year Awards . 15 May 2023 . mfc.co.uk . Middlesbrough F.C..