Matt Fry Explained

Matt Fry
Fullname:Matthew Ronald Fry[1]
Birth Date:26 September 1990
Birth Place:Longfield, England
Position:Defender
Youthclubs1:Gravesend & Northfleet
Youthyears2:–2009
Youthclubs2:West Ham United
Years1:2009–2012
Clubs1:West Ham United
Caps1:0
Goals1:0
Years2:2009–2010
Clubs2:Gillingham (loan)
Caps2:11
Goals2:0
Years3:2010
Clubs3:Charlton Athletic (loan)
Caps3:0
Goals3:0
Years4:2010–2011
Clubs4:Charlton Athletic (loan)
Caps4:25
Goals4:1
Years5:2012
Clubs5:Bradford City
Caps5:6
Goals5:0
Years6:2013
Clubs6:Concord Rangers
Caps6:?
Goals6:?
Years7:2013–2014
Clubs7:Dartford
Caps7:15
Goals7:0
Years8:2014
Clubs8:Concord Rangers
Caps8:7
Goals8:0
Years9:2014
Clubs9:Chelmsford City
Caps9:1
Goals9:0
Years10:2014
Clubs10:Eastleigh
Caps10:3
Goals10:0
Years11:2014–2015
Clubs11:Concord Rangers
Caps11:30
Goals11:0
Years12:2015–2016
Clubs12:Braintree Town
Caps12:27
Goals12:0
Years13:2016–2017
Clubs13:York City
Caps13:21
Goals13:2
Years14:2018
Clubs14:Herne Bay
Caps14:?
Goals14:?
Totalcaps:146
Totalgoals:3
Club-Update:16:45, 25 January 2022 (UTC)

Matthew Ronald Fry (born 26 September 1990) is an English former professional footballer who played as a defender. He played for West Ham United, Gillingham, Charlton Athletic, Bradford City, Concord Rangers, Dartford, Chelmsford City, Eastleigh Braintree Town, York City and Herne Bay.

Career

Early career

Fry was born in Longfield, Kent.[1] He is a product of Gravesend & Northfleet's youth team.[2] Aged eleven he joined West Ham United's youth team, and captained the under-18 team in the 2008–09 season, before signing his first professional contract in June 2009.[3]

He signed for League One club Gillingham on a one-month loan on 15 October 2009.[4] He made his debut on 17 October 2009, in a 2–0 away defeat against Milton Keynes Dons. In November 2009, his loan with Gillingham was extended for a further month,[5] and in December extended again for another month.[6] Fry suffered a knee injury in Gillingham's away match against Exeter City on 28 December 2009, ruling him out of action for six weeks. On 7 January 2010, he returned to West Ham.[7]

On 25 March 2010, he signed for League One club Charlton Athletic until the end of the season,[8] but returned to West Ham without having played for Charlton due to a persisting knee problem suffered earlier in the year.[9] On 5 August 2010, Fry again joined Charlton on loan, this time until January 2011.[10] On 28 August 2010, Fry made his first appearance for Charlton and scored his first goal, in a 3–1 away defeat to Huddersfield Town. On 22 March 2011, Fry returned to West Ham having made 32 appearances, scoring one goal, for Charlton.[11]

Fry had his contract cancelled by mutual consent with West Ham on 2 February 2012 allowing him to seek first-team football on a regular basis.[12]

Bradford City

On 10 February 2012, Fry joined League Two club Bradford City on a free transfer.[13] He made his debut in a 1–1 draw at home to Port Vale on 14 February 2012, in which he played 79 minutes before being substituted.

Concord Rangers

After leaving Bradford, Fry played for Concord Rangers, helping them win promotion from the Isthmian League Premier Division to the Conference South in 2012–13 via the play-offs.[14] In May 2013, Fry played for Concord against Lowestoft Town in the play-off final at Crown Meadow, with Concord winning 2–1 to gain promotion.[15]

Dartford, Concord, Braintree

In June 2013, Fry signed for Dartford,[14] but returned to Concord in March 2014 having made 15 appearances. In June 2015, he signed for Braintree Town.[16]

York City

Fry signed for newly relegated National League club York City on 16 June 2016 on a two-year contract.[17] His contract with York was cancelled by mutual consent on 26 September 2017 to retire from full-time football on medical advice.[18]

Herne Bay

Fry signed for Isthmian League South East Division club Herne Bay on 20 July 2018.[19]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
West Ham United2009–10Premier League000000
2010–11Premier League0000
2011–12Championship00000000
Total00000000
Gillingham (loan)2009–10League One11020130
Charlton Athletic (loan)2009–10League One0000
2010–11League One251400030321
Total251400030321
Bradford City2011–12League Two6060
Dartford2013–14[20] Conference Premier1503000180
Concord Rangers2013–14Conference South7070
Chelmsford City2014–15Conference South1010
Eastleigh2014–15Conference Premier3030
Concord Rangers2014–15Conference South3003030360
Braintree Town2015–16National League2701020300
York City2016–17National League2121010232
Career total146314000901693

Honours

Concord Rangers

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Barry J. . Hugman . The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2010–11 . 2010 . Mainstream Publishing . Edinburgh . 978-1-84596-601-0 . 159.
  2. Web site: Ebbsfleet United Youth Teams . Ebbsfleet United F.C. . 14 July 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110724153650/http://www.ebbsfleetunited.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=449&Itemid=241 . 24 July 2011 . dead.
  3. Web site: Fry signs up . West Ham United F.C. . 25 June 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090628000429/http://www.whufc.com/page/News/0%2C%2C12562~1701373%2C00.html . 28 June 2009 . dead.
  4. News: Gillingham snap up Vernon and Fry . BBC Sport . 15 October 2009 . 17 October 2009.
  5. Web site: Fry extends loan deal . Gillingham F.C. . 13 November 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091116012255/http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10416~1875127%2C00.html . 16 November 2009 . dead.
  6. Web site: Fry agrees one month extension . Gillingham F.C. . 20 May 2010.
  7. Web site: Fry returns . West Ham United F.C. . 7 January 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100111204809/http://www.whufc.com/articles/fry-returns-20100107_2236884_1926030 . 11 January 2010 . dead.
  8. News: Charlton sign Nicky Forster, Matt Fry and Tony Warner . BBC Sport . 25 March 2010 . 3 July 2016.
  9. Web site: Fry feeling good . West Ham United F.C. . 20 May 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160817160658/http://www.whufc.com/articles/20100520/fry-feeling-good_2236884_2055588 . 17 August 2016 . dead.
  10. Web site: Fry joins Addicks . West Ham United F.C. . 5 August 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160817132443/http://www.whufc.com/articles/20100805/fry-joins-addicks_2236884_2111860 . 17 August 2016 . dead.
  11. Web site: Fry returns to Upton Park . Charlton Athletic F.C. . 22 March 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120427040214/http://www.cafc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10267~2321672%2C00.html . 27 April 2012 . dead.
  12. Web site: Driver on the right road . West Ham United F.C. . 2 February 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160817103613/http://www.whufc.com/articles/20120202/driver-on-the-right-road_2236884_2597592 . 17 August 2016 . dead.
  13. Web site: Fry signs up . Bradford City A.F.C. . 10 February 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120214101325/http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/News/0%2C%2C10266~2605966%2C00.html . 14 February 2012 . dead.
  14. News: Dartford sign former West Ham man Matt Fry . BBC Sport . 18 June 2013 . 3 July 2016.
  15. News: Michael . Bailey . Heartbreak again as Lowestoft Town lose out to Concord Rangers . Eastern Daily Press . Norwich . 7 May 2013 . 30 January 2018.
  16. News: Luke . Lambert . Ex-Concord Rangers defender Matt Fry concedes Danny Cowley was a big factor in Braintree Town switch . The Echo . Basildon . 22 June 2015 . 3 July 2016.
  17. News: Peter . Martini . York City sign ex-Braintree Town defender Matt Fry . The Press . York . 16 June 2016 . 3 July 2016.
  18. News: Peter . Martini . York City defender Matt Fry's contract is cancelled . The Press . York . 26 September 2017 . 26 September 2017.
  19. News: Herne Bay add three central defenders to squad . Josh . Fordham . KentOnline . KM Group . 20 July 2018 . 12 March 2019.
  20. Web site: M. Fry: Summary . Soccerway . Perform Group . 12 March 2019.