Ethan Chislett Explained

Ethan Chislett
Fullname:Ethan Alexis Chislett[1]
Birth Date:1998 8, df=y
Birth Place:Durban, South Africa
Position:Midfielder
Currentclub:Port Vale
Clubnumber:10
Youthyears1:20??–2012
Youthclubs1:Southampton
Youthyears2:2012–2013
Youthclubs2:Aldershot Town
Youthyears3:2013–2015
Youthclubs3:Metropolitan Police
Years1:2015–2016
Clubs1:Metropolitan Police
Caps1:16
Goals1:2
Years2:2016
Clubs2:Basingstoke Town
Caps2:0
Goals2:0
Years3:2017–2018
Clubs3:Reddis
Caps3:19
Goals3:5
Years4:2018–2019
Clubs4:Metropolitan Police
Caps4:10
Goals4:2
Years5:2019–2020
Clubs5:Aldershot Town
Caps5:37
Goals5:9
Years6:2020–2023
Clubs6:AFC Wimbledon
Caps6:100
Goals6:13
Years7:2023–
Clubs7:Port Vale
Caps7:44
Goals7:9
Club-Update:16:19, 17 August 2024 (UTC)

Ethan Alexis Chislett (born 11 August 1998) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for club Port Vale. He plays with flair, creativity, and the ability to score goals with late runs into the opposition penalty area. His grandfather, Gordon, represented the South Africa national soccer team.

Chislett spent his formative years Southampton, Aldershot Town, Metropolitan Police and Basingstoke Town, though developed quickly with a spell in Spain with Reddis. He returned to Metropolitan Police and managed to win a move back to Aldershot Town, where he would score nine National League goals in the 2019–20 season. He was then signed to AFC Wimbledon in August 2020 and played 123 games in three seasons, top-scoring from midfield in the 2022–23 campaign. He joined Port Vale in July 2023.

Early life

Ethan Alexis Chislett was born on 11 August 1998 in Durban, South Africa.[2] His grandfather, Gordon Chislett, represented the South Africa national soccer team.[3] His father, Donovan, played soccer professionally in South Africa and was the head coach of the under-18's at Metropolitan Police until September 2021.[4] The family moved to England in 2005.[4]

Career

Early career

Chislett spent time with youth team Guildford Saints before joining the academy at Southampton, where he was released at the age of 14 for being too small.[4] He then spent two years with Aldershot Town, before joining Metropolitan Police, helping the under-18s to reach the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup before he progressed onto the senior team in the Isthmian League Premier Division in 2015.[5] In October 2016, he briefly joined Southern League Premier Division club Basingstoke Town,[6] before moving to Spain, where Chislett played for Reddis and also had a trial at Belgian club Eupen.[7] He scored five goals in nineteen Segona Catalana matches for Reddis.[1] He credited his career to his time in Spain, saying the change of culture taught him a lot. He was due to sign with Pobla Mafumet before the club dismissed their manager.

Chislett returned to England to rejoin Metropolitan Police for the 2018–19 season, with manager Gavin Macpherson expressing a wish to promote youth.[5] He played in the FA Cup first round defeat to Newport County on 10 November, with BBC Sport reporting that "Ethan Chislett should have levelled for Met, but headed straight at Joe Day".[8] He was part of the side that won the Southern League Premier Division South play-offs before losing to Tonbridge Angels in the one-off super play-off final, in which Chislett scored the opening goal.[9] On 18 June 2019, he re-joined Aldershot Town in the National League.[10] He said the move up two divisions went well as the "transition was quite smooth".[11] He scored nine goals in 38 games in all competitions in the curtailed 2019–20 season to finish as the club's top-scorer. Manager Danny Searle said the club was proud to have given him a platform to secure a move into the English Football League.[12] Italian club Avellino had also reportedly offered him a deal.[13]

AFC Wimbledon

On 12 August 2020, Chislett signed for AFC Wimbledon, with manager Glyn Hodges impressed by his creative spark and the prior success of former Met Police signing Nesta Guinness-Walker.[14] He made his debut at Plough Lane in the EFL Trophy against Charlton Athletic on 1 September.[15] [16] He scored his first goal for the Dons in a 2–2 draw with Northampton Town on 12 September; he scored just twenty seconds into the match in what was his EFL League One debut.[17] [18] He set a goal target of ten for the 2020–21 campaign,[19] though would instead score three goals from 36 games. He lost his first-team place under Mark Robinson in the 2021–22 relegation season, though won back a starting place in January following a run of 13 games on the bench.[20]

He was given more freedom to join the attack by new manager Johnnie Jackson in the 2022–23 season, playing on the right side of midfield in a partnership with Harry Pell as the club struggled to adapt to EFL League Two.[21] [22] He was offered a new contract as he finished as the club's top-scorer with eleven goals and three assists in 51 games, also being named as Players’ Player of the Year.[23] [24] [25] He was reported to be a target for Portsmouth, Bolton Wanderers and Wycombe Wanderers.[26]

Port Vale

On 3 July 2023, Chislett signed for League One side Port Vale on a two-year deal, and was hailed by manager Andy Crosby as "an incredible asset".[27] He scored two goals on his home debut at Vale Park, a 3–2 victory over Fleetwood Town in the EFL Cup on 8 August; his first was described in The Sentinel as a "wonderful flighted shot from the edge of the penalty area" and the second was a diving header.[28] The first goal won him the competition's goal of the round award.[29] On 16 December, he scored his first career hat-trick in a 3–2 win over Wigan Athletic, showing the end product that had previously been lacking in what was statistically the club's most effective player by the mid-season stage.[30] Having been dropped by new manager Darren Moore, Chislett won back his first-team place to help the Vale to record back-to-back wins at the end of March.[31] He scored eleven goals from midfield, though could not prevent the club from being relegated at the end of the 2023–24 season.[32]

Style of play

Chislett is a midfielder with flair and elegance on the ball, though he is weak at heading the ball.[4] David Flitcroft, the director of football at Port Vale, said that Chislett "is a player that loves to find space in between midfield players and defenders... his timing of runs into the box to create goalscoring opportunities is outstanding".[33] He is also an accomplished free kick taker.[9]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Metropolitan Police2015–16[34] [35] Isthmian League
Premier Division
1220010132
2016–17Isthmian League
Premier Division
40000040
Total162000010172
Basingstoke Town2016–17Southern League
Premier Division
00001010
Reddis2017–18Segona Catalana1950000195
Metropolitan Police2018–19[36] Southern League
Premier Division South
102630021186
Aldershot Town2019–20National League379100000389
AFC Wimbledon2020–21EFL League One272201061363
2021–22EFL League One292202030362
2022–23EFL League Two4492210405111
Total10013624013112316
Port Vale2023–24EFL League One4394042305411
2024–25EFL League Two1000001020
Total4494042405611
Career total226401758220227249

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Chislett – C.F. Reddis. lapreferente.com.
  2. Web site: Kohler . Lorenz . 19 August 2020 . Ethan Chislett: South African midfielder joins AFC Wimbledon ahead of 2020/21 season . 2 September 2020 . Kick Off.
  3. Web site: SA Football Players Abroad . Facebook . 12 July 2023 . en.
  4. News: Youlton . Clive . Port Vale new boy Ethan Chislett has the style of Luka Modric . 12 July 2023 . StokeonTrentLive . 6 July 2023 . en.
  5. News: THE BIG INTERVIEW: Ethan Chislett Aldershot Town FC . 12 July 2023 . Aldershot Town F.C. . 18 June 2020.
  6. Web site: Ethan Chislett profile . Aylesbury United FC . 3 December 2020 . 23 June 2020.
  7. Web site: L'aventura belga de dos jugadors del CF Reddis. 22 February 2018. Reusdigital.cat diari de Reus. Notícies i actualitat del Camp de Tarragona.
  8. News: Metropolitan Police 0-2 Newport County . 12 July 2023 . BBC Sport . 10 November 2018.
  9. News: Travers . Chris . Ethan Chislett backed to make a big impact in Port Vale midfield . 25 July 2023 . StokeonTrentLive . 25 July 2023 . en.
  10. News: Chislett Joins From Police Aldershot Town FC . 12 July 2023 . Aldershot Town F.C. . 18 June 2019.
  11. News: A dream debut – and now Ethan aims to go one better! . 12 July 2023 . www.afcwimbledon.co.uk . 14 September 2020 . en-gb.
  12. News: Aldershot Town pair take pay cuts to stay with the side . 12 July 2023 . InYourArea.co.uk . 26 August 2020.
  13. News: Briggs . Matthew . EXCLUSIVE: Wimbledon set to win race for talented Aldershot midfielder . 12 July 2023 . TEAMtalk . 12 August 2020 . en.
  14. News: Slavin . Chris . Glyn makes it five with arrival of attacking midfielder . 12 July 2023 . www.afcwimbledon.co.uk . 12 August 2020 . en-gb.
  15. Web site: Slavin . Chris . 1 September 2020 . Roscrow off the mark as Dons march to Trophy win . 2 September 2020 . www.afcwimbledon.co.uk . . en-gb.
  16. Web site: 2 September 2020 . Dean Furman suffers debut defeat for Carlisle United in EFL Trophy . 2 September 2020 . Kick Off.
  17. Web site: Northampton 2-2 AFC Wimbledon . 12 September 2020 . BBC. 12 September 2020.
  18. News: Cawley . Richard . Former Southampton youngster Ethan Chislett on unforgettable Dons' debut – as he takes 20 seconds to score first goal in EFL . 12 July 2023 . South London News . 18 September 2020.
  19. News: Cawley . Richard . Ethan Chislett reveals goal target for AFC Wimbledon . 12 July 2023 . South London News . 18 September 2020.
  20. News: Brack . Edmund . 'He earned his opportunity' – Dons midfielder works his way back into starting picture . 12 July 2023 . South London News . 16 February 2022.
  21. News: Brack . Edmund . Ethan Chislett making himself integral to AFC Wimbledon as match-winning finish impresses boss Johnnie Jackson . 12 July 2023 . South London News . 3 December 2022.
  22. News: Thorpe . Chris . Chis on new shifts and Pelly gifts . 12 July 2023 . www.afcwimbledon.co.uk . 18 November 2022 . en-gb.
  23. News: Retained list announced . 12 July 2023 . www.afcwimbledon.co.uk . 9 May 2023 . en-gb.
  24. News: Thorpe . Chris . Ethan and Aaron depart . 12 July 2023 . www.afcwimbledon.co.uk . 3 July 2023 . en-gb.
  25. News: Cole . Josh . Portsmouth's stance on move for AFC Wimbledon midfielder becomes clearer . 12 July 2023 . FootballLeagueWorld . 9 June 2023 . en.
  26. News: O'Rourke . Pete . Portsmouth & Bolton in race to sign Ethan Chislett - sources . 12 July 2023 . Football Insider . 5 June 2023.
  27. News: Brain . Miles . Ethan Chislett joins the Valiants . 12 July 2023 . Port Vale F.C. . 3 July 2023 . en-gb.
  28. News: Youlson . Clive . Port Vale bounce back from opening day mauling to secure cup win . 9 August 2023 . StokeonTrentLive . 9 August 2023 . en.
  29. News: Goal of the Round . 23 November 2023 . EFL . en.
  30. News: Baggaley . Mike . Chislett puts Vale back on track in Wigan thriller . 17 December 2023 . Valiant's Substack . 17 December 2023.
  31. News: Baggaley . Mike . Vale gather momentum with Rovers win . 30 March 2024 . Valiant's Substack . 30 March 2024.
  32. News: Baggaley . Mike . Rating the squad, the retained list and looking ahead . 29 April 2024 . Valiant's Substack . 29 April 2024.
  33. News: Port Vale add Chislett and Lowe to summer signings . 12 July 2023 . BBC Sport . 3 July 2023.
  34. Web site: Ethan Chislett - Metropolitan Police FC 1st XI . www.pitchero.com . 12 July 2023.
  35. Web site: Metropolitan Police Appearances Ethan Chislett 2015-2016 Football Web Pages . www.footballwebpages.co.uk . 12 July 2023.
  36. Web site: Metropolitan Police Appearances Ethan Chislett 2018-2019 Football Web Pages . www.footballwebpages.co.uk . 12 July 2023.