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Jason Shackell
Jason Shackell
from Wikipedia

Jason Philip Shackell (born 27 September 1983) is an English former professional footballer who primarily played as a centre-back, notably for Norwich City and Derby County.

Key Information

Born in Stevenage, he joined Norwich City in 2000. He made his senior debut in 2003 and spent seven seasons with Norwich before moving to Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2008. After loan spells with Norwich City and Doncaster Rovers, he moved to Barnsley where he won the Player of the Season award in his only year there. He also spent one year at Derby County before signing with Burnley in 2012. With Burnley, he earned promotion to the Premier League as runners-up whilst also being named in the PFA Team of the Year for the Championship. After three seasons with Burnley, Shackell returned to Derby County for a second spell. He spent three seasons with Derby County and had a loan spell with Millwall before departing in 2018. He subsequently signed for Lincoln City, where he won League Two and was named in the division's PFA Team of the Year. He left Lincoln in 2020.

Career

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Norwich City

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Shackell is a product of the Norwich City youth academy, which he joined in 2000.[4] He made his senior debut for on 5 April 2003 in a 2–1 defeat at Derby County, when he played at left-back following an injury to Adam Drury. Although Shackell's preferred – and best – position is central defender, his first few appearances were at left-back when Drury was either injured or suspended.

He added further experience the following season as Norwich won the First Division championship. He did not feature in the club's opening months in the Premier League but returned to the team in February 2005 in a home game against Manchester City. Although Norwich lost 3–2, he acquitted himself well and kept his place in the centre of defence for the remainder of the season, but could not prevent relegation.

The scene was set for Shackell to continue his progress in the 2005–06 season. However, a pre-season illness and a subsequent run of injuries caused him to miss four months of the campaign. However, the season brought him his first goal for Norwich on 17 October 2006 against Birmingham City, proving to be the winning goal. He scored two further goals that season, against Preston North End and Luton Town, but the club were unable to challenge for an immediate return to the top division.

After undergoing another ankle operation during Summer 2006, he returned to be a virtual ever-present in the next season. With the arrival of Peter Grant as manager during the season, Shackell was appointed captain at the start of the 2007–08 season. In October 2007, he signed a new contract that was due to have kept him at Carrow Road until 2010. However, his season took a downturn in December, when new manager Glenn Roeder relieved him of the captaincy.

Shackell lost his place in the Norwich side at the start of the new season after several new defensive signings arrived. On 1 September 2008, he left for fellow Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers, signing a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee believed to be around £1 million.[5]

Wolverhampton Wanderers

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However, he was unable to stake a regular place in the Molineux side, and fell down the pecking order. He returned to his former club Norwich on 10 February 2009, for the remainder of the 2008–09 season.[6] The season proved unique for Shackell as he was relegated from the Championship, but having played 12 games earlier in the season for Wolves before his loan to Norwich, had done enough to earn a winners' medal when Wolves won the Championship on 25 April.

Out of favour at Wolves, he spent the 2009–10 season on loan at Championship side Doncaster Rovers.[7]

Barnsley

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Shackell playing for Barnsley in 2011

On 12 May 2010 he left Molineux, when he signed for Barnsley for an undisclosed fee.[8] He served as club captain, replacing Stephen Foster. Shackell's first goal for the club came in the 2–0 victory over Middlesbrough at Oakwell on 28 August 2010. Shackell headed home to give Barnsley a 1–0 lead in the 28th minute.

After a set of impressive performances during the 2010–11 season (where he won the Player of The Year award[9]), Shackell was heavily linked with transfer moves away from Oakwell, with fellow Championship clubs Burnley,[10] Derby County,[11] Hull City,[12] Portsmouth[13] and newly promoted Premier League outfit Swansea City[14] all interested in the player.

Derby County had two bids for the player rejected, the second bid estimated to be in the region of £700,000.[15] Derby went back with an improved bid on 15 June 2011, believed to be £750k up front, potentially rising to £1m.[16] This bid was accepted by Barnsley on 17 June 2011.[17]

Derby County

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Shackell was confirmed as a Derby County player on 21 June 2011, signing a three-year contract.[18] Shackell scored on his league debut for Derby County in a 2–1 win over Birmingham City on the opening day of the 2011–12 season, heading the equaliser from a Ben Davies freekick.[19] He was also the Rams captain for the game and won man of the match. Derby enjoyed their best start to a season for over 100 years, winning their first four games, and were in the top three going into the start of the October international break. Shackell proved key to this success and his early season form was rewarded with a nomination for the Championship Player of the Month award, though he eventually lost out to Middlesbrough's Matthew Bates.[20] Shackell started every game of the 2011–12 season at centre back and became captain of the team after Shaun Barker was injured in the 1–0 win against Nottingham Forest in mid-March 2012. Shackell was an ever-present in the Derby County side during the season and was runner up in the fans Player of the Season vote.[21] In the close season, Derby rejected four bids from three clubs, with Burnley and Cardiff City thought to have made bids[22] On 4 July 2012, it was confirmed the Derby County had accepted a bid for Shackell from Burnley believed to be £1.1 million.[23]

Burnley

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On 5 July 2012, Shackell signed for fellow Championship side Burnley for an undisclosed fee, on a four-year contract.[24] Later that month it was announced that he would become Burnley captain.[25]

In March 2014 he scored the equalizing goal for Burnley in a 2–1 win over fierce East Lancashire rivals Blackburn at Ewood Park. The result was the Claret's first win in that fixture in 35 years. Shackell went on to guide Burnley to 2nd in the Championship and promotion to the Premier League in the 2013–14 season.

Return to Derby County

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On 23 July 2015, Shackell rejoined his former club Derby on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee, understood to be around £3 million.[26][27]

On 25 January 2018, Shackell joined fellow Championship side Millwall on loan for the remainder of the 2017–18 season.[28]

He was released by Derby at the end of the 2017–18 season.[29]

Lincoln City

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On 9 August 2018, Shackell joined Lincoln City.[30] Shackell came on to make his debut as a substitute against Swindon Town on 11 August before making his first start for the imps on 14 August, and scored in the 5th minute.[31] On 28 May 2020, it was announced Shackell will leave the club at the end of his current contract.[32]

Career statistics

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Norwich City 2002–03[33] First Division 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
2003–04[34] First Division 6 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
2004–05[35] Premier League 11 0 0 0 1 0 12 0
2005–06[36] Championship 17 0 0 0 2 0 19 0
2006–07[37] Championship 43 3 3 0 2 0 48 3
2007–08[38] Championship 39 0 1 0 2 0 42 0
2008–09[39] Championship 1 0 1 0 2 0
Total 119 3 4 0 8 0 131 3
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2008–09[40] Championship 12 0 1 0 13 0
Norwich City (loan) 2008–09[39] Championship 14 0 14 0
Doncaster Rovers (loan) 2009–10[41] Championship 21 1 2 0 23 1
Barnsley 2010–11[42] Championship 44 3 1 0 1 0 46 3
Derby County 2011–12[43] Championship 46 1 2 0 1 0 49 1
Burnley 2012–13[44] Championship 44 2 1 0 1 0 46 2
2013–14[45] Championship 46 2 1 0 4 0 51 2
2014–15[46] Premier League 38 0 0 0 1 0 39 0
Total 128 4 2 0 6 0 136 4
Derby County 2015–16[47] Championship 46 1 1 0 1 1 2[a] 0 50 2
2016–17[48] Championship 8 0 2 0 0 0 10 0
2017–18[49] Championship 0 0 2 0 2 0
Total 54 1 3 0 3 1 2 0 62 2
Derby County U23 2016–17[48] 1[b] 0 1 0
Millwall (loan) 2017–18[49] Championship 7 0 2 0 9 0
Lincoln City 2018–19[50] League Two 34 4 3 0 2 1 1[b] 0 40 5
2019–20[50] League One 26 2 2 0 1 0 29 2
Total 60 6 5 0 3 1 1 0 69 7
Career total 505 19 22 0 22 2 4 0 551 21
  1. ^ Appearances in Championship play-offs
  2. ^ a b Appearance in EFL Trophy

Honours

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References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Jason Shackell is an English former professional footballer who played primarily as a centre-back, known for his commanding presence in defence and leadership roles at multiple clubs. Born on 27 September 1983 in , , he stood at 1.93 metres tall and was left-footed, retiring from the game on 6 March 2020 after a career spanning nearly two decades in English football. Shackell's professional journey began at City, where he joined the academy in 2000 and made his senior debut in 2003, going on to make over 150 appearances for the club between 2003 and 2008, including captaining the side in the 2007–08 season and contributing to their promotion to the in 2004. A brief stint at Wolverhampton Wanderers followed in 2008–09, during which he earned a promotion medal as they ascended to the , before a loan return to in early 2009. He then moved to Rovers on loan in 2009–10, followed by a permanent transfer to in 2010–11, where he served as and was named the club's Player of the Year after over 40 appearances. In 2011, Shackell joined Derby County, playing every league game in his debut 2011–12 season and again captaining the team, before transferring to in 2012, where he became club captain and helped secure promotion to the in 2014, earning a place in the for the that season. He returned to Derby County in 2015 for a four-season spell until 2018, interspersed with youth team appearances towards the end. Later moves included a half-season loan to in early 2018 and two seasons at Lincoln City from 2018 to 2020, where he contributed to their promotion to League One in 2019. Throughout his career, Shackell amassed 388 appearances in the with 13 goals, 49 in the without scoring, and further games across lower divisions, totalling over 500 senior matches without earning any senior international caps for . His reputation as a reliable, no-nonsense defender and frequent underscored his impact on teams striving for promotion in the .

Early life

Birth and family background

Jason Philip Shackell was born on 27 September 1983 in , , . No notable footballing relatives are documented in his family background.

Youth development at Norwich City

Jason Shackell, from , joined City's academy in 2000 at the age of 17. He had been scouted earlier, at under-15 level, by Norwich's youth development officer Colin Watts during a match at , where his height, left-footed ability, aerial strength, and pace stood out despite the typical academy entry age being younger. Over the next three years, Shackell progressed steadily through the youth ranks, training alongside professionals and competing in the club's reserve and under-18 teams from 2000 to 2003. His development emphasized physical maturity and defensive positioning, with manager praising his size for a centre-half and maturation over the previous 12 to 18 months. A key milestone in his youth career came in January 2003 when Shackell signed his first professional contract, a two-year deal that marked his transition from scholar to full-time professional and positioned him as one of the academy's promising homegrown talents. This achievement underscored his notable performances in youth fixtures, where he demonstrated leadership qualities and consistency, paving the way for further opportunities within the club.

Club career

Norwich City

Jason Shackell made his professional debut for on 5 April 2003 in the First Division, coming on as a substitute in a 2-1 defeat away to Derby County at the age of 19. Having progressed through the club's academy since joining at age 17 in 2000, Shackell initially featured sparingly but earned a breakthrough during the 2003–04 promotion push, making six league appearances as secured the First Division title with 94 points and automatic promotion to the . In the 2004–05 season, Shackell established himself as a key defender amid relegation battles, playing 11 matches in central defence and contributing to a resilient backline that kept competitive against stronger sides before their eventual demotion with 33 points. Following relegation, he became a regular in the , featuring in 17 games during 2005–06 and solidifying his role with strong aerial presence and left-footed distribution. His standout performances peaked in 2006–07, where he made 43 league appearances and scored three goals, including crucial headers that highlighted his growing influence in set-piece situations. Shackell's leadership emerged prominently in the 2007–08 season, when he was appointed club captain at age 24, guiding the team through mid-table challenges in the with 39 appearances. Over his full spell from 2002/03 to 2007/08, he amassed 129 appearances and three goals across all competitions, evolving from academy prospect to a dependable first-team stalwart central to Norwich's defensive stability.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

In the summer of 2008, Shackell joined Wolverhampton Wanderers from on 1 September, signing a four-year for an undisclosed fee reported to be around £1.3 million. His prior captaincy at was seen as bringing valuable leadership to the squad. Despite high expectations, Shackell's time at Wolves was hampered by injuries and stiff competition in central defense, limiting him to just 12 first-team appearances, all in the 2008–09 season. However, as a squad player, he contributed to Wolves' successful promotion campaign, helping the team secure the title with 90 points and a nine-point lead over second-placed Birmingham City. Out of favor following promotion, Shackell returned to Norwich City on loan on 10 February 2009 until the end of the season, where he made 14 appearances in the . The following season, he was loaned to Doncaster Rovers on 14 August 2009 initially for one month, which was extended to cover the full 2009–10 campaign; during this spell, he featured in 21 league matches and scored once, in a 3–1 win over Peterborough United on 20 October 2009.

Barnsley

Shackell joined from Wanderers on 12 May 2010, signing a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee. He was immediately appointed as club captain, replacing , and took on a prominent role in the team's defense during the 2010–11 season. In his sole season at , Shackell featured in 44 league appearances, scoring three goals, and contributed significantly to 's defensive stability as they secured a mid-table position of 17th in the with 56 points. His commanding presence at centre-back helped form a solid partnership in the backline, showcasing the versatility he had developed through prior loan experiences at clubs like Norwich City and Doncaster Rovers. Shackell's consistent performances earned him the Barnsley Player of the Season award for 2010–11.

Derby County (first spell)

Shackell joined Derby County from on 21 June 2011, signing a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee that BBC Radio Derby reported as being in excess of £1 million. The 27-year-old centre-back was immediately appointed club captain, stepping into a role under manager to bolster the Rams' defensive unit following their 19th-place finish in the previous season. In his debut season, Shackell established himself as an ever-present figure, starting all 46 league matches and appearing in three cup ties for a total of 49 outings. He scored his sole goal for the club on the of the 2011–12 campaign, heading in a free-kick equaliser in the 26th minute during a 2–1 home win over Birmingham City on 6 August 2011. Shackell frequently wore the captain's armband, providing stability and organisation at the back amid injuries to other defenders, and his consistent performances earned him second place in Derby's Player of the Season voting. Shackell's influence was central to Derby's resurgence, as the team started strongly and occupied play-off positions for much of the early campaign before a mid-season dip. A strong run from saw the Rams collect 14 points from a possible 21 to climb to 11th place and just five points shy of the top six with four games remaining, though they ultimately faded to finish 12th with 64 points—15 more than the prior year.

Burnley

Shackell transferred to from Derby County on 5 2012 for a fee reported to be around £1.1 million, signing a four-year contract. Just over two weeks later, on 23 2012, he was appointed club captain, leveraging his prior leadership experience at Derby. During his three seasons at , Shackell established himself as a reliable centre-back, making 128 league appearances and scoring 4 goals across the and . In the 2013–14 season, Shackell was instrumental in Burnley's defensive solidity as captain, helping the team concede just 39 goals en route to a runners-up finish in the and automatic promotion to the . His consistent performances that year earned him a place in the for the . The following season, 2014–15, saw return to the top flight, where Shackell featured in 38 matches, but the team struggled offensively and defensively, finishing 19th and suffering relegation back to the .

Derby County (second spell)

Shackell rejoined Derby County from on 23 July 2015, signing a three-year for an undisclosed fee reported to be around £3 million. The move marked his return to the club after three successful years at , where he had contributed to their promotion to the as captain. Derby's head coach highlighted Shackell's experience and leadership as key factors in the signing, aiming to bolster the defence for a promotion push in the . In the 2015–16 season, Shackell established himself as a mainstay in Derby's defence, starting all 46 matches and forming a solid partnership with . He scored once, in a 2–1 victory over in September 2015, and played a pivotal role in the team's fifth-place finish, securing a spot in the play-off semi-finals. Derby advanced past Brighton & Hove Albion with a 3–1 aggregate win but were eliminated by Hull City in the semi-finals, suffering a 3–0 second-leg defeat at the iPro Stadium on 14 May 2016, where Shackell unfortunately deflected a shot into his own net. His consistent performances earned praise for providing stability at the back, helping Derby concede just 45 goals in the league—the third-best defensive record. The following seasons brought challenges due to injuries and a dip in form. In 2016–17, under new manager , Shackell's appearances dropped to 11 across all competitions with no goals; he underwent back surgery in March 2017, ruling him out for the remainder of the campaign. By the 2017–18 season, he had fallen out of the first-team picture, making no senior appearances and instead training with the under-23 side. On 25 January 2018, Shackell joined on loan until the end of the season, where he made nine appearances to aid their promotion bid. Derby opted not to renew his contract, releasing him on 18 May 2018 after 62 total appearances and two goals during his second spell.

Lincoln City

Shackell joined Lincoln City on 9 August 2018, signing a one-year contract as a centre-back following his release from Derby County. At age 34, he brought extensive experience from over 500 league appearances across the and , and quickly established himself as a leader in the defence, replacing the departed and mentoring younger players. His arrival bolstered Lincoln's promotion push in League Two under manager . During the 2018–19 season, Shackell was a key figure in Lincoln City's League Two title-winning campaign, making 34 league appearances and scoring 4 goals while forming a solid defensive partnership. His composure and aerial presence were instrumental in the team's record-breaking 85-point haul and promotion to League One. Shackell's outstanding performances earned him a place in the PFA League Two Team of the Year for 2018–19, as voted by his fellow professionals, recognizing his inspired impact after joining mid-season. Shackell extended his contract by another year in April 2019, continuing as vice-captain into the 2019–20 League One season, where he added 26 league appearances and 2 goals. In total, he made 60 league appearances and scored 6 goals across League Two and League One during his time at Lincoln. However, Shackell retired on 6 March 2020 at the age of 36 after departing the club due to injury, with his contract set to expire on 30 June 2020.

International career

Youth levels

Shackell did not earn any caps for at youth international levels, including the under-19 and under-21 teams.

Senior level

Jason Shackell did not earn any caps for the senior national team throughout his professional career spanning over two decades. Despite his domestic achievements, including promotions to the with Wanderers in 2009 and in 2014, as well as leadership roles as captain at clubs like Norwich City, Derby County, and , Shackell was never selected for the senior squad. The absence of call-ups can be attributed to fierce competition from prominent centre-backs such as , , , and , who were regular fixtures in the defence during Shackell's peak years from 2010 to 2015. Additionally, fluctuations in his club form—predominantly in the with only one season in 2014–15, where finished 19th and suffered relegation—limited his exposure at the highest level.

Career statistics and records

Club appearances and goals

Jason Shackell amassed a total of 497 league appearances and 19 goals throughout his club career, primarily as a central defender in the . His contributions spanned multiple divisions, with the bulk occurring in the where he established himself as a reliable performer over several seasons. In addition to league matches, Shackell made 65 appearances in and playoff competitions, scoring 3 goals. The following table summarizes Shackell's appearances and goals by major competition, focusing on league fixtures:
CompetitionAppearancesGoals
490
38813
League One262
League Two344
League Total49719
Beyond league play, Shackell featured in 22 matches without scoring and 22 League Cup ties where he netted twice; he also appeared in 2 playoff games and 19 other matches with 1 goal. One of his most notable seasons came in 2013–14 with , during which he logged 46 appearances across all competitions, helping the team secure promotion to the . Shackell's club-specific league statistics reflect his longevity at key teams, particularly Burnley where he recorded 128 appearances and 4 goals during his primary stint. At Derby County across two spells, he contributed 143 league outings and 2 goals, while his time at Lincoln City yielded 60 appearances and 6 goals in the lower tiers. Earlier clubs like Wolverhampton Wanderers (12 appearances, 0 goals) and (44 appearances, 3 goals) marked transitional phases in his development.

International statistics

Jason Shackell earned no caps for the national team at the senior level, recording zero appearances and zero goals throughout his career. He also had no involvement with youth teams, resulting in zero appearances and zero goals at those levels as well. This complete absence of international exposure stands in stark contrast to his domestic longevity, which included over 560 club appearances across various English leagues.

Honours

Club achievements

During his tenure with Norwich City, Shackell contributed to their promotion to the in 2003–04, winning the play-off final against West Bromwich Albion 1–0. During his tenure with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Shackell was part of the squad that secured the Football League title in the 2008–09 season, earning promotion to the with a record of 90 points and a seven-point lead over second-placed Birmingham City. At , Shackell captained the side to automatic promotion from the in 2013–14 by finishing as runners-up, amassing 93 points from 26 wins, 15 draws, and just five defeats, which marked the club's return to the after a seven-year absence. Shackell's contributions helped Lincoln City claim the League Two in 2018–19, where the Imps topped the table with 85 points from 23 wins, 16 draws, and 7 losses, securing their first Football League title since 1948 and promotion to League One. In his second spell at Derby County, Shackell featured prominently as the team qualified for the play-offs in 2015–16 by finishing fifth, but they were eliminated in the semi-finals after a 3–2 aggregate loss to Hull City.

Individual awards

During his time at , Shackell was named the club's Player of the Season for the 2010–11 campaign, recognizing his consistent performances as a key defender in the . In the 2013–14 season with , Shackell earned a place in the for the , selected by his fellow professional players for his leadership and defensive solidity that contributed to the team's promotion push. Shackell received further individual acclaim in the 2018–19 season at Lincoln City, where he was included in the PFA League Two Team of the Year, highlighting his experience and reliability in helping the Imps secure promotion to League One. Additionally, Shackell was appointed during his second spell at Derby County in 2015, a role that underscored his stature as a respected leader in the dressing room.

References

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