Ethan Pinnock

Ethan Rupert Pinnock (born 29 May 1993) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Brentford. Born in England, he plays for the Jamaica national team.

Pinnock began his career in non-League football with Dulwich Hamlet and Forest Green Rovers, before rising to prominence in the English Football League with Barnsley, from whom he transferred to Brentford in 2019. Pinnock was capped by England C during his non-League career and later represented Jamaica at full international level.

Beginning his career as a left winger or left back, Pinnock played in the Millwall academy between the ages of 9 and 15. Following spells with Fisher Athletic London, AFC Wimbledon and Glebe, Pinnock entered the youth system at Isthmian League club Dulwich Hamlet. He progressed to be fringe member of the first team squad during the 2010–11 season, which included a spell on loan at Kent County League Premier Division club Holmesdale, during which he was deployed as a utility player. A growth spurt led to Pinnock being converted into a central defender during his time with the club. To that point, he had also been deployed as a central midfielder.

By the 2014–15 season, Pinnock had established himself as Dulwich Hamlet captain and a mainstay of the team. He was a part of the club's 2012–13 Division One South-winning team and won the club's Player of the Year awards in the 2014–15 and 2015–16 seasons. Pinnock departed Dulwich Hamlet in June 2016, after making 195 appearances and scoring 12 goals during his time at Champion Hill.

On 21 June 2016, Pinnock signed a two-year contract with National League club Forest Green Rovers for an undisclosed fee. He made 45 appearances and scored three goals during Rovers' 2016–17 National League playoffs-winning season, which saw the club promoted to the EFL for the first time in its history. Pinnock departed the club in June 2017.

On 30 June 2017, Pinnock signed a three-year contract with Championship club Barnsley for an undisclosed fee, reported to be "in excess of £1 million", plus add-ons. His former club Dulwich Hamlet received a £100,000 sell-on. Down the pecking order during the first half of the 2017–18 season, injuries to other players allowed Pinnock to break into the starting lineup during December 2017 and January 2018. He scored his first two goals for the club in league matches versus Reading and Sunderland either side of the New Year. Pinnock finished an injury-affected 2017–18 season with 15 appearances and suffered relegation with the club to League One.

Pinnock missed just two matches in all competitions during the 2018–19 season and helped the Tykes to automatic promotion back to the Championship. He won the club's Player of the Year award and was named in the PFA and EFL League One Team of the Year selections. Pinnock departed Oakwell on 2 July 2019, after making 67 appearances and scoring three goals for Barnsley.

On 2 July 2019, Pinnock signed a three-year contract with Championship club Brentford, with the option of a further year, for an undisclosed fee, reported to be £3 million. He displaced Julian Jeanvier and broke into the team alongside Pontus Jansson in November 2019 and his performances after the season restart in June and July 2020 saw him nominated for the PFA Fans' Player of the Month award. Pinnock made 40 appearances and scored two goals during the 2019–20 season, which culminated in defeat in the 2020 Championship play-off final.