| James Caton | |
| Fullname: | James Alan Kenneth Caton[1] |
| Birth Date: | 1994 1, df=y |
| Birth Place: | Widnes, England |
| Currentclub: | Ashton United |
| Position: | Winger |
| Youthyears1: | 2003–2012 |
| Youthclubs1: | Bolton Wanderers |
| Years1: | 2012–2014 |
| Clubs1: | Blackpool |
| Caps1: | 2 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Years2: | 2013 |
| Clubs2: | → Accrington Stanley (loan) |
| Caps2: | 2 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 2014 |
| Clubs3: | → Chester (loan) |
| Caps3: | 1 |
| Goals3: | 1 |
| Years4: | 2014–2016 |
| Clubs4: | Shrewsbury Town |
| Caps4: | 2 |
| Goals4: | 0 |
| Years5: | 2015 |
| Clubs5: | → Southport (loan) |
| Caps5: | 4 |
| Goals5: | 0 |
| Years6: | 2015 |
| Clubs6: | → Mansfield Town (loan) |
| Caps6: | 0 |
| Goals6: | 0 |
| Years7: | 2015–2016 |
| Clubs7: | → Wrexham (loan) |
| Caps7: | 4 |
| Goals7: | 0 |
| Years8: | 2016 |
| Clubs8: | → Lincoln City (loan) |
| Caps8: | 12 |
| Goals8: | 3 |
| Years9: | 2016–2017 |
| Clubs9: | Southport |
| Caps9: | 23 |
| Goals9: | 2 |
| Years10: | 2017 |
| Clubs10: | Dover Athletic |
| Caps10: | 0 |
| Goals10: | 0 |
| Years11: | 2017–2019 |
| Clubs11: | Darlington |
| Caps11: | 25 |
| Goals11: | 1 |
| Years12: | 2018 |
| Clubs12: | → Warrington Town (loan) |
| Caps12: | 5 |
| Goals12: | 1 |
| Years13: | 2018–2019 |
| Clubs13: | → Stalybridge Celtic (loan) |
| Caps13: | 4 |
| Goals13: | 0 |
| Years14: | 2019 |
| Clubs14: | Nuneaton Borough |
| Caps14: | 7 |
| Goals14: | 1 |
| Years15: | 2021–2022 |
| Clubs15: | Dover Athletic |
| Caps15: | 12 |
| Goals15: | 0 |
| Years16: | 2022 |
| Clubs16: | Hereford |
| Caps16: | 8 |
| Goals16: | 1 |
| Years17: | 2022–2023 |
| Clubs17: | Nantwich Town |
| Caps17: | 11 |
| Goals17: | 3 |
| Years18: | 2023 |
| Clubs18: | Bamber Bridge |
| Caps18: | 2 |
| Goals18: | 0 |
| Years19: | 2023– |
| Clubs19: | Ashton United |
| Caps19: | 12 |
| Goals19: | 0 |
| Club-Update: | 14:11, 18 March 2024 (UTC) |
James Alan Kenneth Caton (born 4 January 1994) is an English footballer who plays as a winger for club Ashton United.
He has played in the Football League for Blackpool, Accrington Stanley and Shrewsbury Town.
Caton was born in Widnes,[2] where he attended Wade Deacon High School. As well as football, he played rugby league at school, and was a member of his Year 10 team that reached the Champion Schools final at Twickenham in 2009.[3] Caton played football for boys' team Widnes Wolves before joining Bolton Wanderers as a nine-year-old schoolboy. He was a part of the England U16s setup that won the Victory shield and turned professional with Bolton in 2010,[4] but was released in the summer of 2012. After a trial with Derby County,[5] [6] Caton scored against Everton in Keith Southern's testimonial match as part of a successful trial with Blackpool.[7]
Caton signed a two-year contract with Football League Championship club Blackpool, with the option of a third year, in August 2012.[8] He said his move to Blackpool was motivated by the club's playing style.[9] Named twice on the bench in his first year, against Cardiff City and Watford, his senior debut came on 31 August 2013, as a late substitute for Nathan Delfouneso in a 1–0 win against Watford.
He joined League Two club Accrington Stanley on a month's loan in October 2013,[10] and made his debut in a 2–1 loss against Dagenham & Redbridge, coming on as a substitute for Nicky Hunt in the 59th minute.[11] However, his loan was cut short due to injury.[12] In March 2014, he went on loan again, to Conference Premier club Chester until the end of the season.[13] He scored on his debut, having come on as a half-time substitute against Grimsby Town,[14] but made no more appearances for the club.
At the end of the 2013–14 season, Caton was released.[15]
Following his release by Blackpool, Caton joined Shrewsbury Town on a free transfer in June 2014.[16] He made his league debut as a 57th-minute substitute for Ashley Vincent in a 2–1 win over Tranmere Rovers on 16 August 2014.
Having only been on the fringes of the first-team squad, he went on loan to Southport in January 2015.[17] After returning to his parent club, he captained a young Shrewsbury side to victory over local rivals AFC Telford United in the Shropshire Senior Cup final, also scoring the opening goal in a 3–1 win.[18]
Just prior to the start of the following season, Caton joined League Two club Mansfield Town on a one-month loan,[19] during which he made a single appearance in the League Cup. In November 2015, he signed for Wrexham of the National League on loan until January.[20] On his return to Shrewsbury, he made another loan move, to another National League club, Lincoln City, for the rest of the season.[21]
Caton was released by Shrewsbury Town when his contract expired.[22]
Caton joined up once again with Lincoln City in the following pre-season with a view to earning a permanent deal,[23] but was unable to agree terms.[24] He signed a six-month contract with National League club Southport in August 2016.[25] [26] His 23 league appearances produced two goalsa consolation in a 4–1 defeat to Barrow,[27] and the winning goal at Torquay United,[28] and his contract was not renewed.[26]
Caton joined National League rivals Dover Athletic on 2 February 2017 for what remained of the season.[29] He played twice, in the quarter-final and semi-final of the Kent Senior Cup, and scored in each match, but made no league appearances.[30]
Following his release from Dover, Caton signed a two-year contract with National League North club Darlington on 17 July 2017.[31] In the 2018–19 season, he spent time on loan to Northern Premier League clubs Warrington Town and Stalybridge Celtic.[32] [33] He left Darlington by mutual consent in January 2019,[34] and finished the season with Nuneaton Borough.[35]
Alongside his football career, Caton studied for a BA degree in football coaching and management with UCFB, which he completed in 2021.[36] He then rejoined Dover Athletic.[37] Caton was released after one season following relegation.[38]
On 3 September 2022, Caton joined National League North club Hereford;[39] he was released three months later,[40] subsequently joining Nantwich Town.[41] He joined Northern Premier League promotion hopefuls Bamber Bridge in March 2023,[42] and moved on to divisional rival Ashton United for the 2023–24 season.[43]
| Club | Season | League | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Blackpool | 2012–13 | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–14 | Championship | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accrington Stanley (loan) | 2013–14 | League Two | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chester (loan) | 2013–14 | Conference Premier | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shrewsbury Town | 2014–15 | League Two | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–16 | League One | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Southport (loan) | 2014–15 | Conference Premier | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mansfield Town (loan) | 2015–16 | League Two | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wrexham (loan) | 2015–16 | National League | 4 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lincoln City (loan) | 2015–16 | National League | 12 | 3 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 12 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Southport | 2016–17 | National League | 23 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | 1 | 1 | 26 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dover Athletic | 2016–17 | National League | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Darlington | 2017–18[44] | National League North | 25 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 27 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–19 | National League North | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 25 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 27 | 1 | - | Warrington Town (loan) | 2018–19 | Northern Premier League Premier Division | 0 | 0 | — | --> | - | Stalybridge Celtic (loan) | 2018–19[45] | Northern Premier League Premier Division | 4 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 0 | 9 | 0 | ||||||||||
| Nuneaton Borough | 2018–19 | National League North | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dover Athletic | 2021–22 | National League | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 13 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hereford | 2022–23[46] [47] | National League North | 8 | 1 | 4 | 1 | — | 1 | 0 | 13 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nantwich Town | 2022–23[48] | Northern Premier League Premier Division | 11 | 3 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 12 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bamber Bridge | 2022–23[49] | Northern Premier League Premier Division | 2 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ashton United | 2023–24[50] | Northern Premier League Premier Division | 12 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | 4 | 1 | 19 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career total | 131 | 11 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 4 | 161 | 17 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||