Tom Ince

At 32 years old, Tom Ince has this physical status:

Thomas Christopher Ince (born 30 January 1992) is an English professional footballer who plays as either an attacking midfielder, winger or forward for Championship club Stoke City. The son of former England captain Paul Ince, Tom Ince began his career with Liverpool, for whom he made his professional debut in the 2010–11 season, coming on as a substitute in the League Cup.

He later spent time that season on loan at League One club Notts County, scoring twice in eight appearances.

At the end of the season, Ince turned down a new contract and moved to Blackpool, who had just been relegated from the Premier League.

In two-and-a-half seasons at Blackpool, Ince played 113 games in all competitions and scored 33 goals.

He also won the 2013 Football League Young Player of the Year Award and was named in the 2012–13 PFA Team of the Year. In January 2014, he signed on loan for Premier League club Crystal Palace, for whom he scored his first Premier League goal, and returned to the division permanently at the end of the season, joining Hull City on a free transfer.

Ince did not feature regularly for Hull in the 2014–15 season, spending time on loan at the end of 2014 with Nottingham Forest before returning briefly to Hull.

A loan spell at the end of the season with Derby County was a success, with Ince scoring 11 goals in 18 appearances.

At the end of the season, he joined Derby for a fee of £4.75 million, briefly becoming the club's most-expensive signing.

Ince spent the 2017–18 season with Huddersfield Town before joining Stoke City in July 2018 for a fee of £10million. Ince has been capped internationally for England at under-17, under-19 and under-21 levels.

Early and personal life

Ince was born in Stockport, Greater Manchester. His father Paul played professional football at a high level with England, Inter Milan, Manchester United and Liverpool. When Ince was three years old he moved to Italy after Paul had signed for Inter Milan where he attended an Italian school and became fluent in Italian, the family spent two years in Italy before returning to England.

He became a father on 11 July 2013.

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Club career

Ince joined Liverpool as a youth player in 2008 and was given a first-team squad number (number 45) at the start of the 2010-11 season. For the first time in Liverpool's UEFA Europa League qualifier against FK Rabotni, he was an unused substitute. In Liverpool's third round League Cup loss to Northampton Town at Anfield on September 22, 2010, he made his debut for the club as a 106th-minute replacement for Daniel Pacheco.

Ince and his father, Paul Ince, who was the manager of League One notts County, signed a short-term loan agreement from Liverpool until January 2011. Stephen Darby, a 22-year-old right back, was lent on a mortgage. Ince made his County debut on November 6th in the 2–0 FA Cup first round victory over Gateshead. He made his league debut in the 3–1 loss to Exeter City on November 13th. Ince scored his first goal in County's 2–0 league win over Milton Keynes Dons on December 11th.

Ince said joining his father at Notts County helped him because he had "got a little lost" at Liverpool, who had tried to change his style of play at the end of December 2010. He discovered that his father "wanted me to be the player that I was" and that the change had "given me a fresh start." Ince scored for County for the second time on January 3–0 victory over Hartlepool United before his loan was due to end on January 10 and he returned to Liverpool.

Despite his father's repeated attempts to re-sign his son on loan, Liverpool refused. Ince's deal came to an end at the end of the 2010-11 season, and they would not allow Ince to go back on loan unless he signed a new long-term contract. Ince's father characterized the contract as "derisory" and called Liverpool "silly" for refusing to allow Ince to rejoin his club on loan. Ince's decision to sign a new deal with Liverpool was deferred, so the club went on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Ince's contract with Blackpool ended on August 3rd, with a choice for a third. Ince was under 24 years old and had been offered a new deal by his previous club, so a compensation contract needed to be reached. Liverpool and Blackpool have agreed an undisclosed fee and a sell-on agreement, which will save Liverpool to 35% of any fee that Blackpool later received for selling Ince. Ince came down to the Championship to join the club, who were then managed by Ian Holloway, as Blackpool had been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2010-2011 season.

In the League Cup's loss to Sheffield on September 11, 2011, he made his Blackpool debut. In a 2–1 victory over Doncaster Rovers on October 18, he scored his first goals for Blackpool. In a 3–1 away victory over Bristol City on February 25, he scored his second brace. He scored an equalizer against West Ham United on May 19, 2012, but Blackpool lost the match 2–1.

Ince scored the only goals of the game in a 2–0 victory at Millwall in the first League game of Blackpool's 2012–13 season. Blackpool had been offered by an unknown team, according to manager Ian Holloway, but Ince had committed his future to the Seasiders after speaking with his father. "There was an obsession in Tom last week," Holloway said. No one has heard of it, but I'll tell it to you. His dad wants him to stay with us." In a 6–0 victory over Ipswich Town on August 7, he scored twice. In September, he scored in back-to-back games against Barnsley and Middlesbrough. On November 3rd, he scored his tenth goal of the season, snapping a streak of scoring in four consecutive games. Holloway left Blackpool to become Crystal Palace's new manager. Michael Appleton was slated to replace him. Ince's form was attracting the attention of his former Liverpool club Liverpool, who were planning a bid of £4 million in the January transfer window, according to a story in December 2012. Liverpool began negotiations with Blackpool in January, but the Seasiders' asking price of £8.5 million was too much for the club considering that they had already signed Daniel Sturridge and sluggishly paid off Joe Cole's deal, causing them to pull out of talks. Reading made a late attempt to sign him, charging a sum far below Blackpool's £8 million estimate, with Ince still at Blackpool. Appleton resigned as the boss of Blackburn Rovers on January 11, 2013. Ince's father Paul replaced him.

Ince received the Award for Young Player of the Year at the 2013 Football League Awards on March 24th. Ince's father said that Tom should be worth £25 million after Wilfried Zaha had gone from Crystal Palace to Manchester United for £15 million in April 2013, and Ince's father said that Ince's father, Ince, had earned his fifth-top scorer in the Championship on 18 goals. Blackpool accepted what was ostensibly a £8 million bid from Cardiff City on June 30, 2013. Swansea City had been reported that they were also interested in signing Ince, but that was put off by the asking price. Despite signing personal terms and obtaining a medical with Cardiff City, Ince, who was scheduled to stay in Blackpool with his newborn baby, decided against moving on July 12th. Aston Villa and Everton were subsequently linked to him, but Ince decided to remain at Blackpool.

Ince scored six goals in his first ten league games of the 2013–14 season as the team advanced to fourth place in The Championship. However, he went on a lean streak and scored just one goal in his next thirteen league games, the equalizer in a 1–1 draw against Leeds United on December 26, 2013. Blackpool gave him a new deal in January, but chairman Karl Oyston foresee that Ince would leave. He was 90 minutes in a 2–0 away loss at Barnsley on January 18, 2014. It was his last game for Blackpool. Ince made 113 appearances in his time with the club, scoring 33 goals. His father was fired as boss three days after. Ince's transfer to Blackpool was left out of the squad for the match against Doncaster on January 25 and Reading on January 28.

Several clubs approached Blackpool to inquire about signing Ince, who spoke to Everton, Cardiff, Newcastle, Hull City, Sunderland, Sunderland, Stoke City, Swansea City, Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace, and his former club Liverpool allie, after being approached by the January 2014 transfer window. However, Ince boosted Liverpool's aspirations once more, insisting that he was not prepared to move to a club of their size. Ajax, Inter Milan, and Paris Saint-Germain have all expressed their interest, while French club Monaco, Monaco, were revealed to be leading the fight for a free transfer in the summer. On Monday, Ince and his father met with Monaco officials in London, just two days before Blackpool's 2–0 loss to Barnsley, which was thought to be one of the reasons for Paul Ince's dismissal as Blackpool's boss.

Tom Ince's departure from Blackpool was expected to accelerate his father's departure from Blackpool, with a domestic loan agreement most likely to allow him the freedom of choice in the summer when his Blackpool contract came to an end. With the loan fee being reduced to the amount of the loan repayment and what percentage of his income was paid by the club lending him out, a loan move to Crystal Palace, Stoke City, Swansea, Sunderland, or Hull City was most likely. Ince joined Crystal Palace on loan for the remainder of the 2013–14 season on January 30, 2014, subject to a loan fee of £1 million. In a 3–1 victory over West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday, Ince made his debut on February 8, 2014, playing 90 minutes and scoring the first three goals for Crystal Palace on the day.

Ince's next two matches, a 2–0 loss to Manchester United on February 22nd and a 0–0 draw with Swansea City on March 2nd, then came off the bench in a 1–0 loss to Southampton on March 8. He started against Sunderland on March 15, a match that had already ended 0–0, but he didn't make another appearance for over a month. As boss Tony Pulis preferred to see Yannick Bolasie and Jason Puncheon on the wings, he was an unused substitute for the next six Premier League games. He came off the bench in a 2–0 loss to Manchester City on Friday and a 3–3 draw against Liverpool on May 5th, before facing Fulham in their final game of the season, a 2–2 draw.

With his deal completing in Blackpool and Ince's inability to commit to a third year, clubs have expressed an interest in signing him. Crystal Palace, Hull City, Newcastle United, Stoke City, Sunderland, Swansea City, and Swansea City from the Premier League and European clubs have expressed an interest in signing him. Monaco, Olympiacos, and Inter Milan have all expressed an interest in him. He spent several days in Monaco and then Milan discussing a move, but eventually, Monaco and Inter Milan were turned down. "After lengthy discussions with my family, I have found that my immediate future in the game lies in the Premier League," he said, though he "still had aspirations to play in Europe." In September 2015, he would go into more detail, saying that although there was "nothing better" than Monaco's lifestyle, he "felt the league itself and the query, 'will I get lost over there?' I'm not sure if being English, so I'm scared a little." While the past and memories from his father's stay at Inter Milan were plentiful, the club was in a transitional period: "they weren't aiming to challenge top-tier again," says the narrator, and it was a rebuilding process. I didn't want any of that, but I wanted to get into the Premier League as a young lad.

Since his employment came to an end at Blackpool, Ince, he joined Hull City on a free transfer in July 2014 and a two-year deal, with an understanding regarding compensation that was not initially agreed. Hull and Blackpool settled on a £1.6 million figure in January 2015, despite lengthy talks, and with a decision by an independent tribunal looming, Hull and Blackpool settled on a figure that will rise to £2.3 million, depending on appearances and if Hull avoided relegation. Liverpool had agreed with Blackpool as a result of the earlier sell-on arrangement, earning Liverpool £60,000.

Ince came on as a replacement in both legs of Hull's Europa League third qualifying round tie against Slovakian club AS Trenn before making his team's debut on August 16th, playing 82 minutes at Queens Park Rangers. He also came off the bench in both legs of the Europa League play-off round against Belgian side Sporting Lokeren, and Sporting Lokeren; sandwiched between those games, he began in a 1–1 draw against Stoke City on August 24. In a 2–1 loss to Aston Villa on August 31, he got his first game for the club, but he was suspended after 57 minutes. In a 3–2 loss to West Bromwich Albion on September 24th, he went a month before playing 90 minutes and scoring. Manager Steve Bruce's shift in tactics, to a more defensive strategy, left him sidelined, according to him.

Ince signed Nottingham Forest's loan until October 30th, having appeared in only three of Hull's nine league matches of the season so far. Nottingham Forest lost 3–0 to Huddersfield Town on Sunday, making his debut the next day. Ince appeared in three debuts and two substitute appearances before being recalled early by his parent club.

Ince and Maynor Figueroa from Wigan Athletic were recalled to Hull on December 22nd, 2014. He came right back to the team, starting as a late replacement in Hull's 3–1 victory over Sunderland on Boxing Day. He came off the bench two days later in a 1–0 loss to Leicester and then started against Arsenal in the FA Cup on January 4th, a match Hull lost 2–0. In the 39th minute of Hull's 1–0 loss to West Bromwich Albion on January 10th, he stayed three weeks before returning to the bench in a 3–0 loss to Newcastle on January 31. That was to be his last game for The Tigers.

Ince joined Derby County on loan until the end of the season on February 2nd. Derby boss Steve McClaren said that buying a player with Ince's caliber was a "real coup" and that Ince's training would have a "real difference" for the Rams. Ince scored twice on his debut for Derby in the 39th minute, with a "superb" free kick against Andy Lonergan's goal in the 39th minute and a "thunderous" shot from 12 yards in the 47th minute. In a second-half stoppage time, he nearly bagged a hattrick, smashing the ball twice. Ince's three goals in his next two games: an emphatic finish in a 2–2 draw against Bournemouth on February — and another brace in a 3–3 draw away from Rotherham United on Friday, turning in a Craig Forsyth cross at the near post.

Ince, who had scored five goals in three games, was "settled" at Derby, saying he had "really found my feet and was feeling optimistic." Ince's next four games featured more good results, but no goals: he reached the post, had a free kick "brilliantly" saved by Sheffield Wednesday keeper Keiren Westwood, barely narrowed an attempt wide and won a penalty in a 2–0 win over Charlton Athletic on February 21; and in a 2–0 loss to Fulham on February 28th, he missed two chances at goal in a 2–0 victory over Brighton and Hove a 2nd a 2–0 victory over in a 2–0 victory over the next four games played on Wednesday in a "brilta "bril a "bril a win in he was a 2–4 het a a goal on Wednesday; was a 2–0 victory on March a 2–0 win; was a 2–0 loss; was a 2–0 loss 2–0 victory over a 2–0 victory over 2–0 victory over 2–0 loss at 2–0 loss to Brighton a 2–0 loss to a 2–0 victory over 2–0 victory over 2–0 victory, a 2–0 defeat to Hove; was a 2–0 win; was a 2–0 victory (not) in a 2–0 victory; was 2–0 victory 2–0 defeat to Brighton a 2–0 defeat to 2–0 victory in a 2–0 victory 2–2 defeat to Wolo 2–3–2 defeat to 2–0 defeat at 2–3-0 victory; was unconserve, with 2–0 at 2–0, with 2–0 victory on 3–1; was 2–0 defeat at 2–0 loss in a 2–0 at 2–0 at 2–3–0 loss at 2–0 win on 3–3–0 victory in a 2–0 at 2–3–0 at 2–0 loss in a 2–0 at a 2–0 at 2–1; was also in a 2–0, 2–2 victory; was 2–0 at 3–0 at 2–1 at 3–0 loss in 2–0 at 2–0 at 3–0 at 3–0 at 2–0 at 1–0 at 2–0 at 2–3–0 at 2–0 at 4–1 defeat at 2–0 at 2–0; was not a 2–0; and saw Derby a 2–0 victory against Sheffield Wednesday; was just wide; was his 2–0 loss at 3–0 at 2–0 at 13.5; was a 2–0; was 2–0 at 3–0 at 2–0; was a 2–0. Ince beat Birmingham City 2–0 on Saturday, sliding through two defenders and shooting low under Birmingham's Darren Randolph, who had to start from the penalty spot after Ince hauled down Robert Tesche. In his first six games, he scored once, this in a 2–2 draw at home to Watford on April 3rd before scoring four goals in his next three games. The first goal in a 4–0 draw against Blackpool on April 14th, a brace, was followed by a 4–4 draw against Huddersfield Town on April 18th, and the last was a 3–3 draw against Millwall on April 25. He then ended his time at Derby with 11 goals in 18 matches. 6 of the eight matches in which he scored finished in draws.

Derby County signed Ince on a four-year deal for £4.75 million on July 3, 2015, with Ince briefly becoming the club's most expensive signing. The club bought midfielder Bradley Johnson from Norwich City for £6 million less than a month later. The sale of Ince had caused Hull boss Steve Bruce to be sarcastic, with Bruce saying, "wouldn't have sold Tom and I did all I could to keep him"...We shouldn't be selling our top young players when trying to put together a team to compete for an immediate return to the Premier League. I saw Tom as an integral part of my blueprints. Derby would have complied with the buy-out order, but it was then the decision of others [at Hull] to refuse him." Ince was involved in all eight league games before losing in the club's 2–1 League Cup loss to Portsmouth on August 12th. His first goal against Reading was at the Madejski Stadium on September 15th, the only goal against Reading. He missed his next game, a 0–0 draw at home to Burnley on September 21 due to a minor training ground injury. Ince was on his return to the starting XI on September 26th minute against newly promoted Milton Keynes Dons in the 96th minute, sealing a 3–1 victory for the Rams. In a 2–0 victory over Brentford, Ince made it three goals in three games in three games on October 3rd, taking the second. He appeared in three League matches against Wolves on October 18th, Blackburn Rovers on October 21 October, and Huddersfield Town on October 24th, but was suspended in the 26th minute of the latter match. He had injured his ankle, but not as bad as first thought, and though he did not return to the team against Rotherham United and QPR, he was back in the East Midlands against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, he was not as bad as first feared.

Ince beat Bristol City 4–0 on December 15, earning his first professional hat-trick. After a tumultuous run through three defenders, Frank Fielding fired the ball into his own half and ran through on goal in the 63rd minute, his third in the 71st minute was fired into the bottom corner; his third in the 71st minute was drilled into the bottom corner. Derby climbed to third place in the table, with manager Paul Clement lauding Ince's "very bit off track" so far this season, so it was a good show from him and it would be great for his morale." Ince scored again in the next match, the only goal in a 1–0 win over Ipswich Town on December 19th. Apart from his man-of-the-match appearances, Bradley Johnson, Chris Martin, and Johnny Russell, as well as an Ipswich goalie Dean Gerken's 25-yard free kick. He had two good chances in his next match, a 2–0 victory over Fulham on Boxing Day, but Leeds United defeated him on December 29th. With Derby 2–1 down, he came alive in the 76th minute, scoring a "brilliant" equalizer just two minutes later, drilling a "fine finish" into the bottom corner.

Ince's next 12 league and cup appearances did not turn up in a difficult stretch. He lost his position in the starting lineup after the first seven appearances, during which Derby lost five times, only scored three goals, and fired fired boss Paul Clement. Ince's return to form for the team, who won two of their next three games, coincided with Ince's appearances as a second-half substitute. On 5 March, he was back to the starting eleven after defeating Huddersfield Town 2–0 and ending his barren spell two matches later on March 12th, scoring a brace against Rotherham United. However, the away team salvaged a point thanks to three late Rotherham goals. Ince completed the season with two more goals: the second in a 4–1 victory over Bolton Wanderers on 9 April and the 57th in a 3–2 win at Bristol City on 19 April. Derby finished fifth in fifth place and fourth-placed Hull City in the play-off semi-finals, losing 3–0 at home and winning 2–0 away to advance 3–2 on aggregate to the eventual play-off Final champions. Ince's first goal of the 2016-17 season came early in a 2–0 win over Cardiff City on September 27. In November, he scored four goals in back-to-back games: braces each in a 3–2 victory over Wolves on Friday and a 3–0 win over Rotherham on 19 November. The Rams finished in ninth place after Ince's top scorer with 15 goals in the 2016–17 season.

Ince joined Huddersfield Town, a newly promoted Premier League club, for an undisclosed fee on July 4, 2017. During a 1–1 draw with Stoke City on December 26, he scored his first goal with the club in the Premier League. Ince was active 37 times during the 2017-18 season, helping the Terriers prevent relegation by finishing in 16th place.

On July 24, 2018, Ince signed Stoke City, a relegated Championship club, for a four-year deal that could rise to £12 million with add-ons. He made his Stoke debut against Leeds United on August 5, 2018. Ince played 41 times for Stoke in 2018–19, scoring six goals, finishing in sixth position in a mid-table finish. Stoke and Ince's season began in 2019-2020 as the team struggled under Nathan Jones' leadership. Despite a change of leadership, Ince continued to fail to have an effect on the team and was chastised for intense criticism after an anonymous appearance against Wigan Athletic 30 June 2020, where he completed just one pass in 57 minutes in 57 minutes. In the next game, a 4–0 victory over Barnsley, he scored. Stoke escaped relegation and finished in 15th place, with three goals from 40 appearances.

Ince joined Luton Town on loan for the remainder of the 2020-21 season from February 1st. In a 1–1 home league draw against Huddersfield Town, he made his Hatters debut as a substitute for Harry Cornick. Ince made seven appearances for the Hatters before suffering an ankle ligament injury.

Ince joined Reading on loan for the remainder of the 2021–22 season on January 31. Ince scored twice against Bournemouth and Swansea City, scoring 15 times for the Royals.

At the end of the 2021-22 season, Ince was released by Stoke City.

Ince's three-year deal with Reading began on June 21, 2022.

International career

Ince made four appearances for England Under-17s in 2009 and four more for the Under-19s in 2011. He was called up by manager Stuart Pearce to the Under 21 squad for the European Championship qualifying games against Azerbaijan on September and Norway four days later. In the 2–0 victory over Azerbaijan at Dalga Arena, Baku, he made his under-21 debut in the 2–0 win over him.

In a 4–0 victory over Sweden in Walsall on February 5, 2013, he scored twice in his first goals for the under-21 team. He was disqualified from consideration for future under-21 squads in March 2015. Ince was shocked by the uproar.

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