Jason Knight (footballer)

Jason Paul Knight (born 13 February 2001) is an Irish footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL League One club Derby County and for the Republic of Ireland national team.[3]

For other people with the same name, see Jason Knight (disambiguation).

Jason Knight
Personal information
Full name Jason Paul Knight[1]
Date of birth (2001-02-13) 13 February 2001
Place of birth Dublin, Ireland
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Derby County
Number 38
Youth career
2005–2017 Cabinteely[2]
2017–2019 Derby County
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019– Derby County 150 (12)
International career‡
2017–2018 Republic of Ireland U17 12 (0)
2018 Republic of Ireland U18 3 (0)
2018–2019 Republic of Ireland U19 6 (1)
2019– Republic of Ireland U21 7 (1)
2020– Republic of Ireland 18 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:07, 14 May 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:22, 27 March 2023 (UTC)

Club career

Early career

Knight began his career at Cabinteely, playing for the club from age 4.[4] He was signed by Derby County at age 16.[5]

Derby County

During the 2018–19 season, Knight was a part of Derby's U18 Premier League title success.[6] He also an unused substitute in Derby's play-off second leg against Leeds United[7] and the final against Aston Villa which Derby missed out on promotion to the Premier League.[8]

The 2019–20 season under new manager Phillip Cocu Knight would be a regular in the first team squad and he made his first team debut on 5 August 2019 in a 2–1 win away at Huddersfield Town.[9] He would scored twice in a 2–1 over Charlton Athletic on 30 December 2019.[10] On 22 January 2020 Knight signed a new contract with Derby running until June 2023.[11] Knight made 35 appearances during the season, scoring 6 goals[3] as Derby finished 10th in the table.

The 2020–21 season would be a struggle for the club as Cocu was sacked in November 2020.[12] Knight played 45 times scoring twice in the league[3] against Millwall[13] an Birmingham City[14] both in December 2020. On 16 January 2021, Knight was handed his first captaincy for Derby County, in Wayne Rooney's first game as coach against Rotherham United.[15] Derby at the end of the season, avoid relegation by one point.

In pre-season ahead of the 2021–22 season, Knight picked up an ankle injury after a tackle by manager Rooney in training, which would mean he'd miss the entire pre-season and opening month of regular season.[16] Knight return just before Derby's season was brought into a further turmoil as the club were placed into administration in September 2021, ensuring a deduction of 12 points,[17] a further 9 point deduction was imposed in November 2021.[18] Knight made his 100th apperance for the club in 2–0 over Sheffield United on 15 January 2022.[19] Knight scored twice in 39 apperances during season,[3] however the club were not able to overcome the 21 point deduction and were relegated to EFL League One in April 2022.[20]

In the 2022–23 season season, Knight was often deployed as a right wing back by interim manager Liam Rosenior, showing his versatility as a player.[21] After Paul Warne was appointed manager in September 2022, Knight returned to his regular midfield role and after an impressive performance against Port Vale, Warne described Knight as a "joy to watch".[22] Knight scored three times in 47 appearances during a season[3] in which Derby missed out on the play-offs by a one point, one of these goals was in his 150th appearance for Derby in a 5–0 win over Morecambe on 4 February 2023.[23] At the end of the 2022–23 season, an option was activated on Knight's contract trigging an extension until June 2024.[24]

International career

Knight has represented his native Ireland at every level from under-15 right up to under-21 and made his debut for the senior team away to Finland on 14 October 2020. He made his full debut against Bulgaria in the UEFA Nations League 18 November 2020.[25] Knight scored his first senior international goal on the 3 June 2021 in a 4–1 win over Andorra in a friendly at the Estadi Nacional.[26]

Personal life

Jason was educated in Clonkeen College, Deansgrange, Co Dublin.[4][27]

His brother Kevin Knight is also a footballer, a former Leicester City youth and Republic of Ireland under-19 international currently playing with League of Ireland First Division club Bray Wanderers, having previously played for Cabinteely, Shamrock Rovers B, Athlone Town and Longford Town.[28]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 7 May 2023[29]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup EFL Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Derby County 2019–20 Championship 3163010—356
2020–21 Championship 4320021—453
2021–22 Championship 3821000—392
2022–23 League One 38231303[lower-alpha 1]0473
Career total 1501271613016614
  1. Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy

International
As of match played 27 March 2023[30]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Republic of Ireland 202030
202161
202280
202310
Total181
Scores and results list Republic of Ireland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Knight goal.
List of international goals scored by Jason Knight[29]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
13 June 2021Estadi Nacional, Andorra la Vella, Andorra Andorra3–14–1Friendly

Honours

Individual

References
  1. "Notification of shirt numbers: Derby County" (PDF). English Football League. p. 24. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  2. "Jason heading off to join the Rams". Cabinteely F.C. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  3. Jason Knight at Soccerway
  4. "Jason heading off to join the Rams". Cabinteely Football Club.
  5. Watson, Chris (27 August 2019). "How Jason Knight became Derby County first-team prospect". Derby Telegraph.
  6. "Derby Countys Under 18 Premier League Champions Where are they now". Jobs in Football. 31 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  7. "Leeds United 2–4 Derby County (3-4 agg)". BBC Sport. 15 May 2019. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  8. "Aston Villa 2–1 Derby County". BBC Sport. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  9. "Huddersfield 1–2 Derby". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  10. "Derby County 2–1 Charlton Athtletic". BBC Sport. 30 December 2019. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  11. "Derby Duo Knight And Whittaker Pen New Contracts". Derby County. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  12. "Phillip Cocu: Derby part company with manager with club bottom of Championship". BBC Sport. 14 November 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  13. "Millwall 0–1 Derby County". BBC Sport. 5 December 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  14. "Birmingham City 0–4 Derby County". BBC Sport. 29 December 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  15. "Knight captains Derby as Rooney begins with late defeat". 16 January 2021. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  16. "Wayne Rooney injures Derby's Jason Knight with training-ground challenge". The Guardian. 5 December 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  17. "Derby County: Championship Club formally enter administration". BBC News. 22 September 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  18. "Derby County: Championship bottom club docked nine more points for accounting rule breaches". BBC Sport. 16 November 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  19. "RAM IN FOCUS: JASON KNIGHT". Derby County. 19 January 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  20. "Queens Park Rangers 1-0 Derby County". BBC Sport. 18 April 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  21. "Liam Rosenior reveals what he told Jason Knight with Derby County 'close' to transfers". Derbyshire Live. 31 July 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  22. "Paul Warne: Derby County boss says Jason Knight 'a joy to watch' after Port Vale win". BBC Sport. 25 January 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  23. "Birthday boy Jason Knight developing into the most exciting Irish midfielders of his generation". Independant.ie. 13 February 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  24. "Derby County Retained List - May 2023". www.dcfc.co.uk. 10 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  25. "Ireland's miserable run continues with goalless draw against Bulgaria". The 42. 19 November 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  26. "Troy Parrott brace rescues Ireland from humiliating defeat to Andorra". The 42. 3 June 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  27. "Kevin Knight". Extratime.ie.
  28. "Republic of Ireland - K. Knight - Profile". Soccerway.
  29. "Jason Knight". Soccerbase.
  30. "Jason Knight". eu-football.info/. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  31. Malone, Emmet (18 March 2018). "Shane Duffy named FAI Player of the Year". The Irish Times. Under-16 Men Jason Knight.
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