Jonathan Spector

Football player infobox
playername = Jonathan Spector


fullname = Jonathan Michael Paul Spector
height = height|meter=1.83
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1986|3|1
cityofbirth = Arlington Heights, Illinois
countryofbirth = U.S.
highschool = St. Viator High School
currentclub = West Ham United
clubnumber = 18
position = Defender
youthyears = 2002–2003
2003
youthclubs = Bradenton Academy
Chicago Fire Premier
years = 2003–2006
2005–2006
2006–
clubs = Manchester United
→ Charlton Athletic (loan)
West Ham United
caps(goals) = 03 (0)
20 (0)
51 (0)
nationalyears = 2004–
nationalteam = United States
nationalcaps(goals) = 12 (0)
pcupdate = 21:12, 28 August 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate = 21:12, 28 August 2008 (UTC)

Jonathan Michael Paul Spector (born March 1, 1986) [ [http://www.whufc.com/page/PlayerProfilesDetail/0,,12562~30124,00.html] , West Ham United Official Site. Retrieved 10 December 2007] is an American professional football player who plays for English Premier League club West Ham United as a defender.

Background

Spector played high school soccer at St. Viator High School and started his club soccer career with Schwaben AC in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, before joining Sockers FC in Arlington Heights, Illinois. He graduated from USSF's Bradenton Academy in 2003 and as his ancestry (his grandparents on the mother's side came from Siegen, Germany) allowed him to acquire a German passport, [http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=343072&root=americansabroad&&cc=5739 "Spector aims to boost World Cup credentials"] , ESPNsoccernet, 19 September 2005. Retrieved 24 June 2007.] he elected to go to Europe.

Club career

Spector joined Manchester United in summer 2003, he made his first appearance for the first team in the FA Community Shield match against Arsenal in August 2004. [http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=38298 Soccerbase: Jonathan Spector] , Racing Post. Retrieved 24 June 2007.] In December 2004, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson announced that Spector would be loaned out to fellow Premiership side Blackburn Rovers for the remainder of the season. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/4122427.stm "Spector to join Blackburn on loan"] , BBC Sport, 23 December 2004. Retrieved 24 June 2007] However, Ferguson was soon forced to postpone the deal due to an injury crisis in the United defence. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/blackburn_rovers/4139471.stm "Man Utd put Spector loan on hold"] , BBC Sport, 1 January 2005. Retrieved 24 June 2007.] The injury crisis continued and Spector was not able to make his loan move on time due to the transfer window closing on 31 January 2005. Before the start of the 2005-06 season, Spector went on a season-long loan to Charlton Athletic to obtain more first team experience. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/charlton_athletic/4673369.stm "Charlton clinch Spector loan deal"] , BBC Sport, 11 July 2005. Retrieved 21 June 2007.] He finished the season making sixteen starts and eight substitute appearances.

Spector moved to London side West Ham United in a deal initially worth £500,000 in June 2006 thereby ending his association with Manchester United after eight appearances. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/west_ham_utd/5084032.stm "West Ham sign Man Utd's Spector"] , BBC Sport, 15 June 2006. Retrieved 24 June 2007.] He made his debut for the club in the first round defeat of the UEFA Cup against Palermo in Sicily on 28 September 2006 [ [http://www.whufc.com/news/?mode=movenav&page_id=8350 "Spector staying positive after debut frustration"] , West Ham United Official Site, 29 September 2006. Retrieved 24 July 2007.] going on to make 28 appearances in all competitions in the 2006-07 season. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/shared/bsp/hi/football/statistics/players/s/spector_284944.stm Squad Profiles: Jonathan Spector] , BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 June 2007.] Spector had initially been brought as backup to the West Ham defence, but he played more games than many expected due to injuries, poor performances from other players, and his ability to play across the defensive back line and in defensive midfield. On 11 November 2007 it was believed that Spector had scored his first goal for West Ham, in the 5-0 away defeat of Derby County. [ [http://www.bdrecorder.co.uk/content/west_ham_united/story.aspx?brand=REConline&category=hammers&tBrand=RecOnline&tCategory=hammersnew&itemid=WeED14%20Nov%202007%2015%3A30%3A51%3A933 Spector is happy just to be playing] ] However, this has since been credited as an own goal by Derby County player Eddie Lewis (American soccer)
Eddie Lewis, by many sources, including West Ham United. [ [http://www.whufc.com/page/PlayerProfilesDetail/0,,12562~30124,00.html West Ham player profile] ] [ [http://www.westhamstats.info/westham.php?west=2&ham=833&united=Jonathan_Spector The Wonderful World of West Ham United statistics Jonathen Spector] ]

International career

In 2003, Spector played for the United States national team at the World Under-17 Championship in Finland and earned his first cap for the senior team on November 17, 2004 in a World Cup qualifier against Jamaica.

In 2005, Spector was part of the U.S. Under-20 team at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship in the Netherlands and as the 2005-06 Premier League season approached its conclusion, was considered a long shot to be included in the United States World Cup squad. However a shoulder injury sustained on April 17 in a game against Portsmouth, [ [http://soccertimes.com/americans/2006/apr17.htm "Spector dislocates shoulder in Charlton victory over Portsmouth"] , SoccerTimes, 17 April 2006. Retrieved 29 June 2007.] ended his chances of playing at the World Cup.

Spector was a member of the winning USA team that beat Mexico 2-1 in the CONCACAF Gold Cup Final in Chicago in June 2007. [ [http://www.whufc.com/news/?page_id=9246 "Spector enjoys Gold Cup glory with USA"] , West Ham United Official Site, 25 June 2007.]

Career statistics

References

External links

* [http://www.whufc.com/page/PlayerProfilesDetail/0,,12562~30124,00.html West Ham Utd Profile]
*soccerbase|id=38298|name=Jonathan Spector
* [http://www.yanks-abroad.com/content.php?mode=search&s=Jonathan%20Spector Jonathan Spector articles on Yanks Abroad]