Jonathan Spector

At 38 years old, Jonathan Spector has this physical status:

Jonathan Michael Spector (born March 1, 1986) is an American soccer player who competed as a defender. Spector began his playing days in England when he was signed by Manchester United as a child, but the club never signed him.

He played for Charlton Athletic on loan and then moved to West Ham United in 2006, for whom he played over 100 games before being released at the 2010–11 season.

He then spent five-and-a-half years with Birmingham City.

Spector played for Orlando City in MLS and Hibernian spent a short time with Scottish club Hibernian. Spector converted him into a defender as a professional after starting his career as a striker.

He most often played as a right-back, but he did occasionally appear across the defensive line and in central midfield.

Early life

Spector was born in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and he grew up. He is Jewish. Spector's father is of English and Irish origins, and his mother was born in Siegen, Germany; as a result, he could travel without needing a work visa. Art Spector's grandfather, who was the first NBA basketball player to be drafted by the Boston Celtics in 1946, was dubbed "Original Celtic" by Spector. Jonathan died in June 1987 when he was 15 months old.

Spector attended St. Peter Lutheran Junior High School and St. Viator High School, where he competed in high school soccer. He was the best amateur Athletic Union basketball standout. He began his club soccer career with Schwaben AC in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, before joining the Chicago Sockers (2003). He has also played youth soccer with Chicago Fire (2003) and Manchester United (2003). In the summer of 2003, he graduated from the Bradenton Academy of the United States Soccer Federation at the age of 17.

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Club career

Spector was discovered by a Manchester United scout while playing for the American Under-17 squad at the Milk Cup in 2003. Spector, who had been a striker, was lined up in defense due to injuries for a game in which the scout had attended to scout other players. The scout alerted Spector's defense after being impressed by his teammates' victory.

Spector came from United Kingdom in the summer of 2003. In August 2004, he made his first appearance for the first team in the FA Community Shield match against Arsenal. Spector will be loaned out to fellow Premiership side Blackburn Rovers for the remainder of the season, according to United boss Sir Alex Ferguson. Ferguson, on the other hand, was soon forced to postpone the transaction due to a military health issue. He was named Player of the Year by the club in 2003. Spector was unable to make his loan move before the transfer window closed on January 31, 2005, but the injury outbreak remained, and Spector was not able to get his loan out before the transfer window closed on January 31, 2005. Spector went on a season-long loan to Charlton Athletic in order to gain more first-team experience before the 2005–06 season. He had sixteen starts and eight substitution appearances throughout the season.

Spector was signed by West Ham United's chairman Alan Pardew in a £500,000 contract in June 2006, putting an end to his time with Manchester United after eight appearances. In the first round of the UEFA Cup against Palermo in Sicily on September 28, he made his first appearance for the club in all competitions in the 2006–07 season. Spector was first brought to the West Ham defense as a back-up, but he suffered for extended time due to injuries and his ability to play anywhere in the back four was able to do so with equal ease. In the 5–0 away victory at Derby County on November 10, 2007, Spector was believed to have scored his first professional goal. However, Derby's fellow American international Eddie Lewis's own goal was later acknowledged as an own aim.

Spector missed the majority of the 2008–09 season due to injuries, but after Lucas Neill's departure, Spector played in 27 of a possible 38 games in the 2009–2010 season. Despite being a right-footed player, many of his appearances this year were left-back. Spector was deployed in the midfield by Gianfranco Zola when he was fired by the Gianfranco Zola. In a 4–0 home victory over former Manchester United in the League Cup on November 30, 2010, he scored twice for West Ham and first in English soccer. In the 2–2 draw against Everton later this season, he scored his first Premier League goal. Spector was first released by West Ham in June 2011.

Spector began his two-year with Birmingham City in August 2011, just four days before the league season's first day. He made his debut in Birmingham's first match in major European competition in nearly 50 years, the Europa League play-off round first leg against Portuguese club Nacional, who lost goalless. In a 3–1 loss at Middlesbrough, he played his first League match in English soccer at a level below the Premier League. Spector played in central midfield for the first few months of his Birmingham City career, a position he enjoyed, and he filled in at right-back in the European games, where Birmingham fell by a single point beyond the group stage. Later this season, he was more often at right-back, at the expense of captain Stephen Carr, and occasionally at left-back. His versatility was described as "an invaluable asset" in the Birmingham Mail's end-of-season review. With a torn thigh muscle, he skipped the first two months of the season, but only to suffer a recurrence of the injury, which was to prevent him from entering the summer's international program.

Carr was hurt in the last pre-season game, and Will Packwood, the teen, was the only alternative right-back. Spector returned to action in the second half of the 2012–13 season as a second-half replacement for Packwood, but "short of match sharpness, he was rusty and had a great time of it." In a 3–2 loss to Coventry City in the League Cup on August 28, he scored his first goal for Birmingham. Lee Clark, the new boss, liked his "drive and vig" in midfield, with right-back responsibilities shared between Packwood, loan signing Paul Caddis, and others, but injuries forced him to return to full-back soon. Spector was limited to ten appearances in the second half of the season due to a series of minor injuries, culminating in ankle fractures that kept him out for the remainder of the season. Despite the fact that several senior players were cut off early in the season, Spector and his wife Olivia Metzinger negotiated a new two-year deal after he and his wife Olivia Metzinger returned from honeymoon.

Spector fractured his cheekbone in five places during a pre-season game two weeks later. He returned to Birmingham's midfield after a 3–2 loss to Leicester City in late August, and a month later, he was involved in a dramatic match at Queens Park Rangers. He had a goal disallowed shortly before QPR took the lead, and after 79 minutes of diving in the penalty area when Richard Dunne appeared to have tripped him, he was banned for diving. In mid-October, he tore a thigh muscle in preparation. This time, the injury kept him out for four months; he returned in mid-February 2014 and was a regular starter from then on as Birmingham avoided relegation to League One due to a stoppage-time equalizer in the season's final match of the season.

Spector began the 2014–15 season as a regular starter, tore a thigh muscle a few months earlier in the season, and skipped the next four months. Gary Rowett had retained Clark as manager by the time he recovered, and Michael Morrison and Paul Robinson had established themselves at center-back, according to Spector, who had told Rowett that Spector had chosen him. Morrison returned to action in late January after suffering a minor injury that coincided with Morrison's return to fitness.

Although Spector had speculated that he had been away from home and wider family for long enough, and that Major League Soccer clubs had expressed concern, he and his wife have remained in Birmingham and signed a new two-year deal. He was injury-free during the 2015-2016 season. He alternated at starting center-back for the veteran Robinson, and although he had no more onfield time than in any of the previous two seasons, he was still very present in the matchday squad. Spector began the 2016–17 season right back after Rowett determined that Paul Caddis' fitness levels were too poor. He continued in that position until and after Gianfranco Zola, who had been in charge of Spector at West Ham, was fired Rowett in December. Spector had decided to return to the United States by January 2017. Zola was able to comply with Josh Dacres-Cogley's return to right back after Spector served a suspension in November and the arrival of Emilio Nsue. He made 179 appearances in all Birmingham competitions.

Spector's deal was terminated by mutual consent, and he signed with Orlando City of Major League Soccer on January 24, 2017. In their first game of the 2017 season that resulted in a 1–0 victory over New York City FC and Spector named to the MLS Team of the Week on March 5, he made his Major League Soccer debut for Orlando City in their first game of the season. Following Kaká's departure, he was named captain prior to the 2018 season. The club revealed that they were not allowing him to serve as a free agent after a season of mostly fighting injuries. Over two years, he played 38 games for the club.

Hibernian, a Scottish Premiership club, has signed Spector on a short-term deal in March 2019. Spector was released by Hibernian in May 2019, after making one appearance against Hearts in Edinburgh.

On August 11, 2019, he officially announced his retirement as an active player. He played over 400 games for club and country, as well as helping the United States win the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2007.

He was appointed Head of International Player Recruitment and Development for MLS side Atlanta United FC later this month.

International career

Spector competed for the United States national team in Finland in 2003 and gained his first cap for the senior team against Jamaica on November 17, 2004, in a World Cup qualifier against Jamaica.

Spector was a member of the United States Under-20 squad in 2005, and he was considered a long shot to be included in the United States World Cup squad as the 2005–06 Premier League season came to an end. However, a shoulder injury suffered in a game against Portsmouth on April 17 ended his chances of playing at the World Cup.

Spector was a member of the United States team that defeated Mexico 2–1 in the CONCACAF Gold Cup Final in Chicago in June 2007. However, Frankie Simek had to be recalled during the final when he collided with Mexican midfielder Andrés Guardado. Benny Feilhaber struck the winning volley right away after being substituted.

Spector was included in the United States roster for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup after suffering injuries to Steve Cherundolo and Frankie Hejduk, and he had the opportunity to secure his spot in the national team, starting at right-back for the entire tournament. Clint Dempsey assisted him in scoring a vital goal against Egypt in the last group stage match as the US advanced to the semifinals on the basis of goals. Spector also assisted Dempsey in scoring the opening goal against Brazil in a long cross from the right flank.

Spector was the first to return from a long-term injury to the remaining 2010 World Cup fourth round qualifiers, although he has also worked with captain Carlos Bocanegra in central defense occasionally due to Osyewu's long-distance. He was recalled for friendlies in November and March and was suspended for the United States' last qualifying match against Costa Rica on October 14 as qualification had already been established and was recalled for friendlies. Coach Bob Bradley called him into the final 23-man squad for the World Cup, but he did not participate in any games. Spector returned to right-back in friendlies against Brazil and Colombia later this year.

Spector received his first call up to the senior national team in 18 months when he was brought into the squad for the first time against Peru and Brazil in September 2015; he appeared in the second game as a second-half replacement in a 4–1 loss. He earned 36 caps for the United States between 2004 and 2015.

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