Born: 29 May 1985, Larne
Height: 6.01 ft
Weight: 11.00 st
Position: Left-Back/Midfielder
Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: Full Cap (2006), 7 Under-21 Caps (2006); Under-19, Under-17.
Club Honours: (with Larne) Irish Cup Runner-Up 2004/05; (with Tranmere) National League Play-Off Winner 2017/18; (with Larne) NIFL Championship 2018/19; Co. Antrim Shield Winner 2020/21, 2022/23.
Club Career:
|
Clubs |
Seasons |
Signed |
Fee |
League |
FA Cup |
FL Cup |
Europe |
Other |
|
Larne |
Youth |
0 (0)/ 0 |
||||||
|
Ballymena Utd |
|
|
Youth |
0 (0)/ 0 |
|
|
|
|
|
Larne |
03/4-04/5 |
Aug-03 |
47 (-)/ 1 |
|||||
|
Lincoln City |
05/6-06/7 |
Aug-05 |
£5k |
55 (8)/ 8 |
|
1(0)/0 |
|
4(0)/3 |
|
Crystal Palace |
07/8 |
Jul-07 |
£250k |
4 (6)/ 0 |
||||
|
Peterborough U. |
07/8 |
Nov-07 |
Loan |
2 (5)/ 1 |
1(1)/0 |
|
|
|
|
Bristol Rovers |
07/8 |
Mar-08 |
Loan |
0 (0)/ 0 |
||||
|
Bristol Rovers |
08/9-10/1 |
Jun-08 |
Undis |
127 (2)/28 |
3(0)/1 |
4(0)/0 |
|
4(0)/1 |
|
Notts County |
11/2-12/3 |
Jun-11 |
Free |
83 (6)/20 |
7(0)/4 |
1(1)/0 |
1(0)/0 |
|
|
Fleetwood T. |
13/4-14/5 |
May-13 |
Free |
45 (2)/ 4 |
4(0)/1 |
1(0)/0 |
|
2(1)/1 |
|
Cambridge Utd |
15/6 |
Jul-15 |
Free |
7 (2)/ 0 |
1(0)/1 |
1(0)/0 |
||
|
Tranmere Rvrs |
15/6 |
Jan-16 |
Loan |
18 (0)/ 1 |
|
|
|
|
|
Tranmere Rvrs |
16/7-17/8 |
Jul-16 |
Free |
64 (7)/ 4 |
1(0)/0 |
5(0)/1 |
||
|
Larne |
18/9-22/3 |
Jul-18 |
Free |
104 (-)/17 |
|
|
8(0)/0 |
|
|
|
|
|
£255k |
556(38)/84 |
17(1)/7 |
7(1)/0 |
8(0)/0 |
17(1)/6 |
Biography:
Plucked from the Irish League for £5,000 in August 2005, Jeff Hughes quickly established himself as one of the hottest young prospects in League Two with Lincoln City. An attacking left-back or left-winger, he also proved a more than useful goalscorer, finding the net three times in the two-legged play-off semi-final matches against Bristol Rovers in 2007, though the Imps still lost 7-4 on aggregate.
First capped Northern Ireland during the 2006 US Tour, he has also been a regular for the Under-21 side in the past few seasons
In July 2007 Hughes move to Crystal Palace in a deal reported to be worth £250,000. The fee, which could rise to £350,000 depending on appearances and other criteria, includes a 25% portion due to Larne as part of a sell-on clause. He failed to make an impact at Selhurst Park and after several loan spells he left the Eagles for Bristol Rovers in the summer of 2008.
First capped Northern Ireland during the 2006 US Tour, he has also been a regular for the Under-21 side in the past few seasons
In July 2007 Hughes move to Crystal Palace in a deal reported to be worth £250,000. The fee, which could rise to £350,000 depending on appearances and other criteria, includes a 25% portion due to Larne as part of a sell-on clause. He failed to make an impact at Selhurst Park and after several loan spells he left the Eagles for Bristol Rovers in the summer of 2008.
A regular among the goals during three seasons with the Pirates, many called for his recall to the Northern Ireland squad. When Rovers were relegated to League Two at the end of the 2010/11 he was released as the club attempted to balance their books. He remained in League One with Notts County.
Having been ignored completely be Nigel Worthington, Hughes was finally recalled to the Northern Ireland squad by Michael O'Neill in May 2012, but he failed to add to his two senior caps.
A move to Fleetwood in 2013 was blighted by a broken leg and Hughes was released after two seasons.
Having been ignored completely be Nigel Worthington, Hughes was finally recalled to the Northern Ireland squad by Michael O'Neill in May 2012, but he failed to add to his two senior caps.
A move to Fleetwood in 2013 was blighted by a broken leg and Hughes was released after two seasons.
Hughes played his last game in English football for Tranmere as they won promotion back to the EFL with a play-off win at Wembley. He then returned to Larne where he captained them back to the NIFL Premiership and in December 2020 to their first ever Co. Antrim Shield win, when he scored the winning penalty in a final shoot-out win over Glentoran. Over the following few seasons he aided Larne to a position as one of the leading clubs in Northern Ireland.
Hughes had been set to bring his 20 year long playing to a close at the end of the 2022/23 season, but an ACL injury collected against Portadown saw him hang up his boots in February 2023. A Benefit Year was announced for "Mr Larne" ahead of his appointment as the club's Head of Youth Development.
.
Northern Ireland Cap Details:
21-05-2006 Uruguay N L 0-1 FR
26-05-2006 Romania N L 0-2 FR
Summary: 1(1)/0. Won 0, Drew 0, Lost 2.
Comments