Matthew Pennington spent 16 years on Everton’s books and made nine senior appearances for the club.
After impressing in Everton’s under-21s, Matthew Pennington made his debut in April 2016 against Bournemouth.
Pennington’s most memorable moment came a year later, when he scored in the Merseyside derby against Liverpool.
What would your message to David Moyes be after the loss to United? 😡
He cannot find the answer at the Hill Dickinson…
Ultimately, the centre-back failed to kick on and cement his place on Merseyside, so he was let go during the summer of 2021.
Shrewsbury signed Pennington on a free transfer, and we’ve taken a look at where he’s now plying his trade.
Former Everton defender Matthew Pennington leading Bradford to promotion charge
Since leaving Everton, Pennington has been a consistent performer in League One, making 220 appearances in the division.
After a couple of seasons at Blackpool, Bradford City landed his signature last summer and he is now helping them to a promotion to the Championship.
Is it time for Everton to start thinking about a change? 👋
One year left on his deal as things stand…
The 31-year-old is part of an exciting project in West Yorkshire, as his side are sitting fourth in the table, despite being a newly-promoted team.
Pennington was in action against Rotherham United last night, and he scored the winner with a diving header.
That was the 22nd goal of his career, which is a pretty remarkable feat for a centre-back.
| Club | Games | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shrewsbury | 113 | 11 | 5 |
| Blackpool | 67 | 4 | 2 |
| Everton Under-21s | 60 | 2 | 3 |
| Ipswich | 31 | 1 | – |
| Coventry | 25 | – | 1 |
| Leeds | 24 | – | – |
| Bradford | 20 | 1 | – |
| Tranmere | 17 | 2 | 1 |
| Hull City | 16 | – | – |
| Everton | 9 | 1 | – |
| Walsall | 5 | – | – |
As evidenced by the table above, the Everton academy graduate has enjoyed a productive career at some big clubs, even if he hasn’t quite played at the level many coaches around Finch Farm hoped.
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