| Alex Gilliead | |
| Fullname: | Alex Nicholas Gilliead[1] |
| Birth Date: | 11 February 1996[2] |
| Birth Place: | Shotley Bridge, England |
| Height: | 1.83m (06feet) |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Currentclub: | Bradford City |
| Clubnumber: | 11 |
| Youthyears1: | 2012–2014 |
| Youthclubs1: | Newcastle United |
| Years1: | 2014–2018 |
| Clubs1: | Newcastle United |
| Caps1: | 0 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Years2: | 2015–2016 |
| Clubs2: | → Carlisle United (loan) |
| Caps2: | 35 |
| Goals2: | 5 |
| Years3: | 2016–2017 |
| Clubs3: | → Luton Town (loan) |
| Caps3: | 18 |
| Goals3: | 1 |
| Years4: | 2017 |
| Clubs4: | → Bradford City (loan) |
| Caps4: | 9 |
| Goals4: | 0 |
| Years5: | 2017–2018 |
| Clubs5: | → Bradford City (loan) |
| Caps5: | 42 |
| Goals5: | 1 |
| Years6: | 2018–2019 |
| Clubs6: | Shrewsbury Town |
| Caps6: | 27 |
| Goals6: | 1 |
| Years7: | 2019–2021 |
| Clubs7: | Scunthorpe United |
| Caps7: | 79 |
| Goals7: | 7 |
| Years8: | 2021– |
| Clubs8: | Bradford City |
| Caps8: | 98 |
| Goals8: | 4 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2011–2012 |
| Nationalteam1: | England U16 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 4 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 0 |
| Nationalyears2: | 2012–2013 |
| Nationalteam2: | England U17 |
| Nationalcaps2: | 8 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 0 |
| Nationalyears3: | 2014 |
| Nationalteam3: | England U18 |
| Nationalcaps3: | 2 |
| Nationalgoals3: | 0 |
| Nationalyears4: | 2015–2016 |
| Nationalteam4: | England U20 |
| Nationalcaps4: | 7 |
| Nationalgoals4: | 1 |
| Club-Update: | 18:20, 29 October 2023 (UTC) |
Alex Nicholas Gilliead (born 11 February 1996) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for club Bradford City. He has represented England at under-16, under-17, under-18, and under-20 levels.
Born in Shotley Bridge, County Durham,[2] Gilliead was offered a trial by Newcastle United in 2011, after he was first noticed playing for Swalwell Juniors.[3] He signed scholarship terms in the summer of 2012,[3] before signing a three-year professional contract with the club on 4 July 2013.[4] Gilliead signed a new two-and-a-half-year contract on 28 January 2016 to keep him at the club until 30 June 2018, with the option of a further year.[5]
On 14 September 2015, Gilliead joined League Two club Carlisle United on a one-month youth loan.[6] He made his professional debut five days later in a 2–2 draw with York City, assisting both of Carlisle's goals.[7] [8] Gilliead's loan was extended until the end of 2015–16, having made five appearances during his initial loan spell.[9] He followed up his loan extension by scoring his first professional goal two days later in a 1–0 win at home to Exeter City.[10] [11] Gilliead completed the loan spell with 41 appearances and five goals.
On 31 August 2016, Gilliead joined League Two club Luton Town on loan until 7 January 2017.[12] He debuted as an 85th-minute substitute in a 2–1 defeat at home to Grimsby Town on 10 September.[13] Gilliead scored his first goal for Luton in a 2–0 win at home to West Bromwich Albion U21 in the EFL Trophy on 4 October.[14] He later scored his first league goal for the club in a 3–1 win at home to Barnet on 31 December.[15] Gilliead scored two goals in 21 appearances and returned to Newcastle following the expiration of his loan spell.[16]
On 12 January 2017, Gilliead signed for League One club Bradford City on loan until the end of 2016–17.[17] He made his debut two days later as a 76th-minute substitute in a 1–0 defeat away to Shrewsbury Town and completed the loan spell with 10 appearances.
Gilliead returned to Bradford City on a six-month loan on 7 July 2017.[18] On 4 January 2018, Gilliead's loan at Bradford was extended until the end of the season.[19] He scored two goals from 48 appearances, as Bradford finished in 11th place in the table.[20]
Gilliead signed for League One club Shrewsbury Town on 10 July 2018 on a two-year contract, following his release by Newcastle.[21]
Gilliead signed for Scunthorpe United, who were newly relegated to League Two, on 9 July 2019 on a two-year contract for an undisclosed fee.[22] He was one of 17 players released by Scunthorpe at the end of the 2020–21 season.[23]
Gilliead rejoined Bradford City, this time on a permanent basis, in the summer of 2021.[24] His first Bradford goal since 2018 came in a 2-0 home win over Rochdale on 2 October 2021.
Gilliead signed a 2-year contract extension with Bradford in June 2023.
Gilliead has represented England at under-16, under-17, under-18, and under-20 levels.[25]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Newcastle United | 2014–15 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 2016–17 | Championship | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Carlisle United (loan) | 2015–16 | League Two | 35 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 41 | 5 | ||
| Luton Town (loan) | 2016–17 | League Two | 18 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 1 | 1 | 21 | 2 | ||
| Bradford City (loan) | 2016–17 | League One | 9 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |||
| 2017–18 | League One | 42 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 48 | 2 | ||
| Total | 51 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 58 | 2 | |||
| Shrewsbury Town | 2018–19 | League One | 27 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 35 | 3 | |
| Scunthorpe United | 2019–20 | League Two | 35 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 42 | 6 | |
| 2020–21 | League Two | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 0 | ||
| Total | 51 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 61 | 6 | |||
| Career total | 182 | 14 | 16 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 3 | 216 | 18 | |||