{{Short description|English footballer (born 2003)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Infobox football biography |name = Bailey Akehurst |image = |caption = |fullname = Bailey Roy Akehurst<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 May 2021 |title=Club list of registered players: As at 15th May 2021: Gillingham |url=https://www.efl.com/contentassets/d29fb86f37b0462589f320b680f6787d/efl-professional-retain-list---2020-21.pdf |access-date=16 November 2021 |publisher=English Football League |page=51}}</ref> |birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|9|8|df=y}}<ref name="gillsprofile">{{Cite web |title=Bailey Akehurst - Midfielder - First Team - Gillingham |language=en |url=https://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/teams/first-team/defender/bailey-akehurst/ |access-date=16 November 2021 |website=gillinghamfootballclub.com |publisher=Gillingham F.C. |archive-date=18 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118194907/https://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/teams/first-team/defender/bailey-akehurst/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> |birth_place = Kent |height = {{convert|1.78|m|order=flip}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bailey Akehurst FM 2021 Profile |url=https://fmdataba.com/21/p/673505/bailey-akehurst/ |access-date=16 November 2021 |website=FmDataba}}</ref> |position = Defender |currentclub = Tonbridge Angels |clubnumber = |youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2021 |youthclubs1 = Gillingham |years1 = 2021–2023 |clubs1 = Gillingham |caps1 = 5 |goals1 = 0 |years2 = 2021 |clubs2 = → Cray Wanderers (loan) |caps2 = 2 |goals2 = 0 |years3 = 2022 |clubs3 = → Hastings United (loan) |caps3 = 1 |goals3 = 0 |years4 = 2022 |clubs4 = → Cheshunt (loan) |caps4 = 0 |goals4 = 0 |years5 = 2022 |clubs5 = → Cray Wanderers (loan) |caps5 = 5 |goals5 = 0 |years6 = 2023 |clubs6 = → Tonbridge Angels (loan) |caps6 = 3 |goals6 = 0 |years7 = 2023 |clubs7 = Hastings United |caps7 = 10 |goals7 = 0 |years8 = 2023 |clubs8 = Erith & Belvedere |caps8 = 3 |goals8 = 0 |years9 = 2023–2024 |clubs9 = Dover Athletic |caps9 = 16 |goals9 = 0 |years10 = 2024 |clubs10 = Chatham Town |caps10 = 12 |goals10 = 0 |years11 = 2024 |clubs11 = Herne Bay |caps11 = 3 |goals11 = 0 |years12 = 2025– |clubs12 = Tonbridge Angels |caps12 = 2 |goals12 = 0 |club-update = 19:19, 15 January 2025 (UTC) }} '''Bailey Roy Akehurst''' (born 9 October 2003) is an English professional footballer who plays as a left back for {{English football updater|TonbridA}} club Tonbridge Angels.
==Career== Despite being a second-year scholar, Akehurst made his league debut for Gillingham in a 1–1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday on 13 September 2021,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cawdell |first=Luke |date=13 November 2021 |title=Gillingham teenager Bailey Akehurst makes Football League debut at Sheffield Wednesday |language=en |work=Kent Online |publisher=KM Media Group |url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/sport/breakdown-blow-for-baileys-parents-after-gillingham-footbal-257388/ |access-date=18 November 2021}}</ref> having made his first senior appearance in an EFL Trophy match against Crawley Town earlier in the season.<ref name="gillsprofile" /><ref name="sb2122">{{soccerbase season|143859|2021|access-date=18 November 2021}}</ref>
On 7 June 2022 he signed his first professional contract with the Kent side.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Panting |first=Matthew |date=2022-06-07 |title=Gillingham defender Bailey Akehurst signs first professional contract with the club |url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/sport/gills-defender-signs-first-pro-deal-268297/ |access-date=2022-06-12 |website=Kent Online |language=en}}</ref> Shortly into the 2022–23 season, he signed for Hastings United on loan.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Townsend |first=Ian |date=2022-08-15 |title=Bailey Akehurst signs on loan from Gillingham |url=https://www.isthmian.co.uk/gills-defender-for-hastings-71935 |access-date=2022-08-15 |website=Isthmian |language=en}}</ref> He was released at the end of the 2022–23 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/news/2023/may/retained-list-202223/|title=Gillingham FC Retained List 2022/23|website=www.gillinghamfootballclub.com|date=19 May 2023|accessdate=19 May 2023}}</ref>
Following his release from Gillingham, Akehurst returned to Hastings United on a permanent basis.<ref>{{cite tweet|number=1667527003732430848|title=NEW SIGNING Bailey Akehurst Baileys Back and this time it's for good! Last time injury in his first game cut his stay short As well as representing @TheGillsFC, Bailey has had loan spells at @OfficialWands and @tonbridgeangels Welcome back Bailey #COYU #NewSigning #NewEra|user=hastingsufc|author-link=Hastings United F.C.|date=10 June 2023|accessdate=12 June 2023}}</ref> In November 2023, he joined National League South club Dover Athletic<ref>{{cite tweet|number=1727024589316980858|title=✍️ {{!}} New Signing... We're delighted to announce the signing of former Gillingham and Hastings defender @BaileyAkehurst 🤝 Welcome to Crabble Bailey! #OneTownOneTeamOneDover ⚪⚫️|user=DoverAthletic|author-link=Dover Athletic F.C.|date=21 November 2023|accessdate=21 November 2023}}</ref> following a short spell with Erith & Belvedere.<ref>{{cite tweet|number=1725787880742588558|title=Departing the Deres today are Denzelle Olopade and Bailey Akehurst "Disappointed to lose two top young players and two fantastic people no doubt our paths will cross again but for now I wish them all the best " ML on the latest departures #upthederes|user=EBTheDeres|author-link=Erith & Belvedere F.C.|date=18 November 2023|accessdate=21 November 2023}}</ref> He was offered a new contract by Dover following relegation at the end of the 2023–24 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://doverathletic.com/news/2023-24-retained-list/|title=2023/24 Retained List|website=doverathletic.com|date=3 May 2024|accessdate=13 May 2024}}</ref>
In June 2024, Akehurst joined Isthmian League Premier Division club Chatham Town.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chathamtownfc.com/chats-sign-bailey-akehurst/|title=CHATS SIGN BAILEY AKEHURST|website=www.chathamtownfc.com|date=14 June 2024|accessdate=16 June 2024}}</ref> In January 2025, following a short spell with Herne Bay, he returned to Tonbridge Angels on a permanent basis.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tonbridgeangels.co.uk/news/baileys-return-to-longmead/5930|title=Bailey's return to Longmead|website=www.tonbridgeangels.co.uk|date=10 January 2025|accessdate=15 January 2025}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {{updated|match played 17 December 2024}} {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|FA Cup !colspan="2"|EFL Cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |Gillingham |2021–22<ref name="sb2122" /> |League One |5||0||2||0||2||0||2{{Efn|Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy}}||0||11||0 |- |Cheshunt |2022-23 |National League South |0||0||0||0||0||0||1{{Efn|name="FAT"|Appearance(s) in FA Trophy}}||0||1||0 |- |Cray Wanderers (loan) |2022–23<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/cray-wanderers/appearances/bailey-akehurst/927742|title=Cray Wanderers – Appearances – Bailey Akehurst|website=www.footballwebpages.co.uk|accessdate=19 May 2023}}</ref> |Isthmian League Premier Division |5||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||0||0||5||0 |- |Hastings United |2023–24<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/hastings-united/appearances/2023-2024/bailey-akehurst/927742|title=Hastings United – Appearances – Bailey Akehurst – 2023-2024|website=www.footballwebpages.co.uk|accessdate=21 November 2023}}</ref> |Isthmian League Premier Division |10||0||3||1||colspan="2"|—||1{{efn|name="FAT"}}||0||14||1 |- |Erith & Belvedere |2023–24<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/erith-and-belvedere/appearances/2023-2024/bailey-akehurst/957161|title=Erith & Belvedere – Appearances – Bailey Akehurst – 2022-2023|website=www.footballwebpages.co.uk|accessdate=21 November 2023}}</ref> |Isthmian League South East Division |3||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0||3||0 |- |Dover Athletic |2023–24<ref name="Soccerway">{{soccerway|bailey-akehurst/756754|accessdate=13 May 2024}}</ref> |National League South |16||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0||16||0 |- |Chatham Town |2024–25<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/chatham-town/appearances/2024-2025/bailey-akehurst/948959|title=Chatham Town – Appearances – Bailey Akehurst – 2024-2025|website=www.footballwebpages.co.uk|accessdate=15 January 2025}}</ref> |Isthmian League Premier Division |12||0||3||1||colspan="2"|—||4{{efn|One appearance in Kent Senior Cup, two appearances in FA Trophy, one appearance in Alan Turvey Trophy}}||0||19||1 |- |Herne Bay |2024–25<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/herne-bay/appearances/2024-2025/bailey-akehurst/948959|title=Herne Bay – Appearances – Bailey Akehurst – 2024-2025|website=www.footballwebpages.co.uk|accessdate=15 January 2025}}</ref> |Isthmian League South East Division |3||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0||3||0 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !54!!0!!8!!2!!2!!0!!8!!0!!72!!2 |} {{notelist}}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Akehurst, Bailey}} Category:2003 births Category:Living people Category:English men's footballers Category:Footballers from Kent Category:Men's association football defenders Category:Gillingham F.C. players Category:Hastings United F.C. players Category:Cheshunt F.C. players Category:Cray Wanderers F.C. players Category:Tonbridge Angels F.C. players Category:Erith & Belvedere F.C. players Category:Dover Athletic F.C. players Category:Chatham Town F.C. players Category:Herne Bay F.C. players Category:English Football League players Category:Isthmian League players Category:National League (English football) players Category:21st-century English sportsmen Category:Long stubs with short prose
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