Thomas Lance Sparrow (born 6 December 2002) is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Scottish Premiership club Motherwell and the Wales under-21 national team.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Thomas Lance Sparrow[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 6 December 2002[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Buckley, Flintshire, Wales | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.84 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Motherwell | ||
| Number | 7 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2015–2017 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | ||
| 2017–2022 | Stoke City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022–2024 | Stoke City | 3 | (0) |
| 2021 | → AFC Telford United (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2023 | → Hamilton Academical (loan) | 12 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | → Chester (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| 2024– | Motherwell | 8 | (2) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2018 | Wales U17 | 3 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | Wales U21 | 2 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11:12, 13 November 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17:20, 27 September 2022 (UTC) | |||
Club career
editStoke City
editSparrow joined Stoke City from Wolverhampton Wanderers as a 14-year old.[3] In October 2021 Sparrow joined National League North side AFC Telford United on a one-month youth loan.[4] Sparrow made his professional debut on 7 May 2022 in a 1–1 draw against Coventry City.[5][6]
On 7 January 2023, Sparrow joined Scottish Championship side Hamilton Academical on loan for the remainder of the 2022–23 season, making his debut the same day in a 1–0 defeat away at Ayr United.[7][8] He helped Hamilton win the Scottish Challenge Cup after they beat Raith Rovers 1–0 in the final.[9] Sparrow made 17 appearances for Accies as they suffered relegation after losing on penalties to Airdrieonians in the playoffs.[10] On 5 September 2023, Sparrow joined National League North side Chester on a three-month loan.[11] Sparrow made twelve appearances for Chester before returning to Stoke in January 2024.[12] He was released by Stoke at the end of the 2023–24 season.[13]
Motherwell
editSparrow signed a two-year contract with Scottish Premiership club Motherwell on 12 June 2024.[14]
International career
editIn September 2022 Sparrow made his debut for the Wales national under-21 football team in a 2–0 friendly match defeat against Austria under-21.[15][16]
Career statistics
edit- As of match played 23 December 2023
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Stoke City | 2021–22[17] | Championship | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| 2022–23[18] | Championship | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24[19] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | |||
| AFC Telford United (loan) | 2021–22[2] | National League North | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 | ||
| Hamilton Academical (loan) | 2022–23[18] | Scottish Championship | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4[a] | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Chester (loan) | 2023–24[2] | National League North | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 1[b] | 0 | 12 | 0 | |
| Motherwell | 2024–25[20] | Scottish Premiership | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| Career total | 29 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 39 | 0 | ||
- ^ Two appearances in Scottish Challenge Cup and two in Scottish Championship relegation play-offs
- ^ Appearance(s) in FA Trophy
Honours
editHamilton Academical
References
edit- ^ "Club list of registered players: As at 15th May 2021: Stoke City" (PDF). English Football League. 15 May 2021. p. 35. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
- ^ a b c d Tom Sparrow at Soccerway
- ^ "Stoke City teenager on cusp of first team breakthrough in new position". Stoke Sentinel. 15 April 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
- ^ "MIDFIELDER SIGNS ON A YOUTH LOAN FROM STOKE CITY". AFC Telford United. 15 October 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
- ^ "Sparrow's debut delight". Stoke City. 7 May 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
- ^ "Stoke City 1–1 Coventry City". BBC Sport. 7 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
- ^ "Sparrow heads out on loan". Stoke City. 7 January 2023. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
- ^ "Ayr United 1-0 Hamilton Academical". BBC Sport. 7 January 2023. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
- ^ "Raith Rovers 0-1 Hamilton Academical". BBC Sport. 25 March 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- ^ "Hamilton Academical 2–1 Airdrieonians". BBC Sport. 20 May 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- ^ "Tom Sparrow joins Chester on loan". Stoke City. 5 September 2023. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
- ^ "Sparrow returns from loan spell". Stoke City. 3 January 2024. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
- ^ "Potters release contracts update". Stoke City. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
- ^ "Tom Sparrow is a Steelman". Motherwell. 12 June 2024. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ James Wales under 21 call up
- ^ Sparrow Wales under-21 debut
- ^ "Games played by Tom Sparrow in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
- ^ a b "Games played by Tom Sparrow in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
- ^ "Games played by Tom Sparrow in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
- ^ "Games played by Tom Sparrow in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
- ^ Raith Rovers 0–1 Hamilton Academical, Andrew Petrie, BBC Sport, 26 March 2023