JONATHAN SPECTOR
Born: 1 March 1986, Arlington Heights, United States
Former clubs: Manchester United, Charlton Athletic (loan)
A versatile defender, Jonathan Spector has played in all positions across the West Ham United defence since joining the club from Manchester United in the summer of 2006.
Spector graduated from the US Soccer Federation Academy in Bradenton, Florida, before moving to English football at the age of 17 in the summer of 2003.
A regular member of the United States senior squad, Spector went to the 2010 FIFA World Cup with his country.
2010/11
Made just two first-team appearances before scoring twice in the 4-0 Carling Cup fifth-round victory over Manchester United at the Boleyn Ground on 30 November 2010…Two goals against Manchester United were his first in 97 appearances for West Ham United…Converted from a full-back into a central midfield player…Made his 100th appearance for West Ham United at Blackburn Rovers on 18 December 2010…Added further goals in the FA Cup third-round win over Barnsley and 2-2 Barclays Premier League draw at Everton...Made his 100th league appearance for West Ham United in 1-1 home Barclays Premier League draw with Blackburn Rovers on 7 May 2011…Ended the season having made 21 appearances and scored four goals in all competitions…Received the Individual Performance of the Year award for his display in the 4-0 home Carling Cup fifth-round victory over Manchester United...Made three Barclays Premier Reserve League starts
2009/10
Named in West Ham United's matchday squad for all 38 Premier League matches...Made 22 Premier League starts and five substitute appearances…Started two League Cup ties…Totalled 29 appearances in all competitions, 24 of them starts…Netted an unfortunate own goal in the 3-2 home Premier League win over Wigan Athletic on 24 April 2010.
2008/09
Recovered from six months out with a torn labrum in his hip to make nine Premier League appearances, four of them starts...Made three Barclays Premier Reserve League South starts.
2007/08
Made 26 Premier League appearances, 13 of them starts...Made one substitute appearance in both the League Cup and FA Cup…Totalled 28 appearances in all competitions, 13 of them starts…Had his first West Ham United goal in a 5-0 Premier League win at Derby County on 10 November 2007 chalked off by the Dubious Goals Panel, who instead decreed it as an Eddie Lewis own goal…Made five Barclays Premier Reserve League South starts.
2006/07
Joined West Ham United for £500,000 on 15 June 2006...Made his first-team debut in the 3-0 UEFA Cup first-round second-leg defeat in Palermo on 28 September 2006…Made his Premier League debut for West Ham United in 1-0 defeat at Reading on 1 October 2006…Totalled 25 Premier League appearances, 17 of them starts…Made one UEFA Cup and two FA Cup appearances…Totalled 28 appearances in all competitions.
International career
Capped by the United States at U16, U17, U20, U23 and senior levels…Earned 19 caps at U17 level… Started all four matches for the US at the 2003 FIFA U17 World Cup in Finland…Featured in the FIFA U20 World Cup meetings with Argentina and Italy in the Netherlands in 2005…Played one U23 CONCACAF 2008 Olympic qualifier against Canada…Made his senior debut against Jamaica in Columbus, Ohio, on 17 November 2004 at the age of 18…Missed the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals due to a dislocated shoulder...Won the CONCACAF Gold Cup as part of the team that defeated Mexico in the final in Chicago in 2007…Missed the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing due to a torn labrum in his hip…Started all five matches as the US reached the final of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa, setting up goals for Clint Dempsey in the group-stage win over Egypt and final defeat by Brazil…Named in the US squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, but did not appear at the finals...Appeared for United States in friendly internationals against Brazil, South Africa and Argentina during the 2010/11 season…Named in the United States squad for the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Before West Ham United
Joined the US Soccer Federation Academy in Bradenton, Florida, graduating in 2003…Signed for Manchester United in summer of 2003...Made his Manchester United debut as a substitute in the Charity Shield defeat by Arsenal at the Millennium Stadium on 8 August 2004, becoming the youngster American to play for the club…Totalled eight first-team appearances for Manchester United in 2004/05…Moved to Charlton Athletic on a season-long loan on 11 July 2005…Made 24 first-team appearances for Charlton Athletic in 2005/06.
Any other business
Is a keen reader and was named West Ham United's Reading Star for 2009/10...Named Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn and Homer's The Odyssey as his favourite books…Enjoys cooking…Is the grandson of professional basketball player Art Spector, the first player to be drafted by the NBA's Boston Celtics…Born in the same Chicago suburb as former Everton, Fulham and United States forward Brian McBride.