Jordon Mutch

Infobox Football biography
playername = Jordon Mutch


fullname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1991|12|2|df=y
cityofbirth =
countryofbirth =
height = height|ft=5|in=10
position = Midfielder
currentclub = Birmingham City
clubnumber = 17
youthyears = 0|0000–2007
2007–2008
youthclubs = Derby County
Birmingham City
years = 2008–
clubs = Birmingham City
caps(goals) = 00 0(0)
nationalyears = 2007–
nationalteam = England U17
nationalcaps(goals) = 07 0(0)
pcupdate = 20:46, 26 August 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate = 20:46, 26 August 2008 (UTC)

Jordon James E. S. Mutch (born 2 December 1991) is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Birmingham City. He made his first-team debut in the League Cup in August 2008. He has represented his country at under-17 level.

Playing career

Mutch, from Alvaston, Derbyshire, began his football career in Derby County's youth system, where he spent five years working under Academy director Terry Westley. In the summer of 2007, Mutch decided to leave Derby, choosing to rejoin Westley, by then Academy director at Birmingham City, despite competition from clubs including Liverpool and Aston Villa. Because of the player's youth, no transfer fee was payable, but a compensation package was agreed with Derby for his services. [cite news |url=http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/birmingham-city-fc/birmingham-city-fc-news/2007/09/27/mutch-tipped-for-big-things-at-st-andrew-s-97319-19856464/ |title=Mutch tipped for big things at St Andrew's |work=Birmingham Mail |author=Colin Tattum |date=2007-09-27 |accessdate=2008-08-26]

He made his debut for the England under-17 team in July 2007, aged only fifteen-and-a-half, against their Icelandic counterparts. [cite web |url=http://www.thefa.com/England/U17s/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/England17NordicIce.htm |title=Ice cool Donaldson |publisher=The FA |date=2007-07-30 |accessdate=2008-08-26]

While still a schoolboy, aged 15 years 298 days, Mutch was selected in the 16-man squad for Birmingham's League Cup third-round match against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park in September 2007. The Premier League confirmed that match rules permitted selection of a player of that age, but changed their minds only hours before the match after becoming aware of the Football Association's Child Protection regulations which specified a minimum age of 16 for players in open-age football. [cite news |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2322131/Jordon-Mutch-has-record-in-his-sights.html |title=Jordon Mutch has record in his sights |author=Martin Smith |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=2007-09-28 |accessdate=2008-08-26] Reserve player David Howland, who was not registered with a Premier League squad number, had to travel to Blackburn at the last minute with special dispensation to take Mutch's place on the bench wearing an unnumbered shirt. [cite news |url=http://www.blues.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10412~1121300,00.html |title=Statement regarding Jordon Mutch |publisher=Birmingham City F.C. |date=2007-09-26 |accessdate=2008-08-26] [cite news |url=http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/birmingham-city-fc/tm_method=full&objectid=19856460&siteid=50002-name_page.html |title=Howland comes to the rescue for Blues |work=Birmingham Mail |author=Colin Tattum |date=2007-09-27 |accessdate=2008-08-26]

Mutch was named on the bench for the January 2008 third-round FA Cup tie at Huddersfield Town, aged 16 years 34 days. Had he entered the game he would have broken Trevor Francis's record as the youngest player to make a competitive first-team appearance for the club; however the team struggled and manager Alex McLeish felt unable to give him his debut. [cite news |url=http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/birmingham-city-fc/birmingham-city-fc-news/2008/01/07/mcleish-i-couldn-t-risk-using-jordon-as-a-sub-against-the-terriers-97319-20321116/ |title=McLeish: I couldn't risk using Jordon as a sub against the Terriers |author=Colin Tattum |work=Birmingham Mail |date=2008-01-07 |accessdate=2008-08-26]

During the 2007–08 season Mutch made more appearances for the reserve team than any other outfield player, as well as playing 14 games for the under-18 side, [cite book |author=Lewis, Peter (ed.) |title=Blues (match programme) |date=2008-04-26 |series=2007–08 #19 |publisher=Birmingham City F.C. |pages=p. 56 |chapter=Academy stats] and was voted Academy Player of the Season. [cite news |url=http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/birmingham-city-fc/birmingham-city-fc-news/2008/05/13/sebastian-larsson-scoops-six-awards-97319-20901567/ |title=Sebastian Larsson scoops six awards |author=Colin Tattum |work=Birmingham Mail |date=2008-05-13 |accessdate=2008-08-26] He was in the starting eleven for the Birmingham Senior Cup 5–0 victory over Burton Albion; though nominally a reserve team several first-team players were included. [cite news |url=http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/birmingham-city-fc/birmingham-city-fc-match-reports/2008/04/08/birmingham-senior-cup-birmingham-city-5-burton-albion-0-97319-20733880/ |title=Birmingham Senior Cup - Birmingham City 5 Burton Albion 0 |work=Birmingham Mail |date=2008-04-08 |accessdate=2008-08-26]

In the build-up to the 2008–09 season, Mutch was part of the first-team squad and, together with fellow youngsters Jared Wilson and Sone Aluko, went on the club's pre-season tour to Austria, [cite news |url=http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/birmingham-city-fc/birmingham-city-fc-news/2008/07/14/young-trio-will-get-chances-97319-21336327/ |title=Young trio will get chances |author=Colin Tattum |work=Birmingham Mail |date=2008-07-14 |accessdate=2008-08-26] where his performances were remarked on favourably by other players. [cite news |url=http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/birmingham-city-fc/birmingham-city-fc-news/2008/07/31/jordon-mutch-feeling-at-home-in-birmingham-city-first-team-97319-21441402/ |title=Jordon Mutch feeling at home in Birmingham City first team |author=Colin Tattum |work=Birmingham Mail |date=2008-07-31 |accessdate=2008-08-26] He was included in the starting eleven in pre-season domestic friendlies, but McLeish was reluctant to push him into first-team football at Championship level before he was ready. [cite news |url=http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/birmingham-city-fc/birmingham-city-fc-news/2008/07/14/young-trio-will-get-chances-97319-21336327/ |title=I'll be careful with Jordon Mutch - boss |author=Colin Tattum |work=Birmingham Mail |date=2008-07-18 |accessdate=2008-08-26] [cite web |url=http://www.blues.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10412~1361234,00.html |title=McLeish: We won't push Jordon |publisher=Birmingham City F.C. |date=2008-07-08 |accessdate-2008-08-26]

Mutch finally made his first-team debut as a half-time replacement for Gary McSheffrey in the second-round League Cup defeat at Southampton on 26 August 2008, thus becoming Birmingham's second-youngest debutant of all time, after Trevor Francis. [cite web |url=http://www.blues.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10412~1376030,00.html|title=Saints 2 Blues 0 |publisher=Birmingham City F.C. |date=2008-08-26 |accessdate=2008-08-26]

Honours

Birmingham City
*Birmingham Senior Cup winner: 2008
*Academy Player of the Season: 2008

References

External links

*soccerbase|id=48425|name=Jordon Mutch

Persondata
NAME = Mutch, Jordon
ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Professional footballer
DATE OF BIRTH = 1991-12-02
PLACE OF BIRTH = England
DATE OF DEATH =
PLACE OF DEATH =