Paddy Lacey

Patrick Sean Lacey (born 16 March 1993) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Warrington Rylands 1906. He played in the Football League for Accrington Stanley. He is also a boxer.

Patrick Lacey
Lacey in 2022
Personal information
Full name Patrick Sean Lacey[1]
Date of birth (1993-03-16) 16 March 1993
Place of birth Liverpool, England
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Warrington Rylands 1906
Youth career
Sheffield Wednesday
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2012 Bradford City 0 (0)
2011 → Southport (loan)
2011–2012 → Vauxhall Motors (loan) 6 (1)
2012 Droylsden 12 (1)
2012–2013 Altrincham 26 (0)
2013–2016 Barrow 89 (4)
2016–2017 Accrington Stanley 11 (1)
2019–2020 Southport 14 (0)
2020 Stalybridge Celtic 5 (1)
2020–2022 Chester 22 (3)
2022– Warrington Rylands 1906
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 12:18, 18 February 2022 (UTC)

Football career

In July 2011 he joined Bradford City on a one-year deal following his release from Sheffield Wednesday,[2] during his time at Bradford he had loan spells at Southport and Vauxhall Motors, after failing to break into first team he left the club.[3]

In July 2016 he joined Accrington Stanley on a one-year deal.[4] In August 2016 he made his debut for Stanley in the EFL Cup against Burnley coming off the bench in the 83rd minute for Billy Kee.[5] He made his league debut for them against Morecambe coming off the bench in the 82nd minute for Shay McCartan.[6] He scored his first goal for Accrington in a 1–0 win over Portsmouth on 17 September 2016.[7]

Lacey's contract with Accrington was terminated on 5 May 2017 after he admitted a breach of anti-doping regulations. He had been given a 14-month ban by the Football Association having tested positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, following a game against Hartlepool United the previous November.[8][9]

One month after his contract was terminated, Lacey was arrested at Glastonbury Festival in possession of 20.3 grams of cocaine, 16.8 grams of MDMA, and £520 in counterfeit £20 notes. He pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing a controlled substance, and passing as genuine an item which he knew to be a counterfeit. In July 2017 he was sentenced to 16 months in prison.[10]

Following his release from prison, on 14 January 2019 it was confirmed that Lacey had joined Southport on an 18-month contract.[11]

In January 2020 he joined Stalybridge Celtic. Lacey joined Chester in September 2020.[12] After suffering a knee injury, in February 2021 he raised funds for surgery.[13] On 15 February 2022, it was announced that Lacey had decided to leave Chester in order to take up an offer with an unnamed Northern Premier League club.[14] On 16 February 2022, Lacey signed for Northern Premier League Division One West side Warrington Rylands 1906 on a short-term deal until the end of the 2021–22 season.[15]

Boxing career

Lacey has also fought as a professional boxer, alongside his semi-professional football career and his day job as a carpet fitter.[16]

References
  1. "Retained List 2016-17" (PDF). English Football League. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  2. "Bradford City sign 18-year-old midfielder Patrick Lacey". BBC Sport. 8 July 2011. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  3. "Lacey makes Bradford exit". Sky Sports. 31 January 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  4. "Lacey signs one-year deal". Accrington Stanley F.C. 21 July 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  5. "Stanley 1 Burnley 0 (aet)". Accrington Stanley F.C. 24 August 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  6. "Stanley 2 Morecambe 3". Accrington Stanley F.C. 27 August 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  7. "Accrington 1–0 Portsmouth". BBC Sport. 17 September 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
  8. "Paddy Lacey: Accrington Stanley sack midfielder after 14-month drugs ban". BBC Sport. 5 May 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  9. "Statement: Paddy Lacey". Accrington Stanley F.C. 5 May 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  10. Thomas, Joe (3 August 2017). "Professional footballer jailed after being caught with drugs at Glastonbury". Liverpool Echo.
  11. "SIGNING | Patrick Lacey". 14 January 2019.
  12. "Midfielder Paddy Lacey signs for Chester FC". www.chesterfc.com. 30 September 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  13. "Thousands raised as ex-Bantam reaches target required for major surgery". Bradford Telegraph and Argus.
  14. "Paddy Lacey departs the Deva". Chester FC. 15 February 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  15. @RylandsFC (16 February 2022). "Rylands FC land themselves a knockout!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  16. "The footballer rebuilding his life in boxing" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
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