{{short description|English footballer (born 1998)}} {{use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} {{use British English|date=September 2019}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Ben Hedley | image = | caption = | fullname = Ben Hedley<ref name="Retained List 2016-17">{{cite web |title=Retained List 2016–17 |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/efl-documents/efl-released-and-retained-list---2016-17.pdf |publisher=English Football League |access-date=16 January 2018}}</ref> | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1998|10|18|df=y}} | birth_place = Gateshead, England | height = | position = Midfielder | currentclub = Darlington | clubnumber = 2 | youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2017 | youthclubs1 = Morecambe | years1 = 2017–2019 | clubs1 = Morecambe | caps1 = 2 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2017 | clubs2 = → Witton Albion (loan) | caps2 = 17 | goals2 = 1 | years3 = 2019 | clubs3 = Bradford (Park Avenue) | caps3 = 7 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2019– | clubs4 = Darlington | caps4 = 181 | goals4 = 1 | club-update = 18:28, 29 November 2025 (UTC) }}
'''Ben Hedley''' (born 18 October 1998) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for {{English football updater|Darlingt}} club Darlington. He previously played in the Football League for Morecambe, as well as in non-league football for Witton Albion and Bradford (Park Avenue).
==Playing career== Hedley came through the Morecambe Academy to make his first-team debut on 6 May 2017, coming on as an 88th-minute substitute for Aaron Wildig in a 3–1 defeat at Luton Town.<ref>{{cite news|title=Luton Town 3-1 Morecambe|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39753912|access-date=19 October 2017|website=BBC Sport|date=6 May 2017}}</ref> He signed his first professional contract with the club the following month.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bentley hails academy improvements after signing three more youngsters|url=http://www.thevisitor.co.uk/sport/football/bentley-hails-academy-improvements-after-signing-three-more-youngsters-1-8609878|access-date=19 October 2017|newspaper=The Visitor |location=Morecambe |date=23 June 2017}}</ref>
On 15 August 2017, he joined Northern Premier League Premier Division club Witton Albion on an initial one-month loan; "Shrimps" manager Jim Bentley said that "he'll be in good hands at Witton with the management (Carl MacCauley and Gary Martindale) who are both good football people that I trust to do right by Ben".<ref>{{cite web|title=Ben Hedley loan|url=https://www.morecambefc.com/news/2017/august/ben-hedley-loan/|access-date=19 October 2017|website=Morecambe F.C. |date=15 August 2017}}</ref> His loan spell was extended into a second month after he impressed in his first eight starts for the club,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Simpson|first1=Andrew|title=Hedley extends loan stay with Witton|url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/15538872.Hedley_extends_loan_stay_with_Witton/|access-date=19 October 2017|newspaper=Lancashire Telegraph|date=15 September 2017}}</ref> and was extended a second time. He scored his first senior goal on 14 October in a 5–2 victory over Coalville Town at Wincham Park, and finished the loan spell with 19 appearances in all competitions.<ref name=WittonProfile/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.northwichguardian.co.uk/sport/15597002.witton-albion-follow-midweek-victory-with-another-after-scoring-five-times-against-coalville-town/ |title=Witton Albion follow midweek victory with another after scoring five times against Coalville Town |first=Andrew |last=Simpson |newspaper=Northwich Guardian |date=14 October 2017 |access-date=8 September 2017}}</ref>
Hedley was named Morecambe's Reserve Team Player of the Year for 2017–18.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.morecambefc.com/news/2018/april/morecambe-fc-player-of-the-year-2017-18/ |title=Player of the Year awards |website=Morecambe F.C. |date=29 April 2018 |access-date=8 September 2019}}</ref> In 2018–19, he featured twice in the EFL Trophy,<ref name=Soccerway/> and made his first Football League start on 23 October 2018 in a 1–0 defeat at home to Mansfield Town; the ''Lancashire Post'' described it as a "solid debut".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.lep.co.uk/sport/football/morecambe-fc/morecambe-0-mansfield-1-another-home-loss-for-shrimps-1-9410747 |title=Morecambe 0, Mansfield 1: Another home loss for Shrimps |first=Derek |last=Quinn |newspaper=Lancashire Post |date=24 October 2018 |access-date=8 September 2019}}</ref> Despite being named as a substitute on 38 occasions, he made no more league appearances and was released at the end of the season.<ref name=Soccerway/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48184748|title=Morecambe release five players but extend the deals of four more|date=7 May 2019|access-date=8 May 2019|website=BBC Sport}}</ref>
On 7 June 2019, Hedley joined National League North club Bradford (Park Avenue), managed by Garry Thompson with whom he had played at Morecambe.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bpafc.com/ben-hedley-joins-bradford-park-avenue/ |title=Ben Hedley joins Bradford (Park Avenue)] |website=Bradford (Park Avenue) A.F.C. |date=7 June 2019 |access-date=8 September 2019}}</ref> Thompson was dismissed just two matches into the season,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/17823704.bradford-park-avenue-sack-thompson-gardner/ |title=Bradford (Park Avenue) sack Thompson and Gardner |newspaper=Telegraph and Argus |location=Bradford |date=8 August 2019 |access-date=8 September 2019}}</ref> and Hedley played in seven before leaving for another National League North club, Darlington, in early September.<ref name=Soccerway/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/17882910.hedley-joins-darlington-bradford-park-avenue/ |title=Hedley joins Darlington from Bradford Park Avenue |first=Craig |last=Stoddart |newspaper=The Northern Echo |location=Darlington |date=8 September 2019 |access-date=8 September 2019}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {{updated|<!-- match played -->end of 2024–25 season}}
{| 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"|League cup{{efn|Includes EFL Cup, Northern League Challenge Cup}} !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="4"|Morecambe |2016–17<ref>{{Soccerbase season|89797|2016|access-date=7 September 2019}}</ref> |League Two |1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0 |- |2017–18<ref>{{Soccerbase season|89797|2017|access-date=7 September 2019}}</ref> |League Two||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0 |- |2018–19<ref>{{Soccerbase season|89797|2018|access-date=7 September 2019}}</ref> |League Two||1||0||0||0||0||0||2{{efn|Appearances in EFL Trophy}}||0||3||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !2!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!2!!0!!4!!0 |- |Witton Albion (loan) |2017–18<ref name=WittonProfile>{{cite web |url=http://www.wittonalbionfc.co.uk/teams/171192/player/b-hedley-1889360/48599 |title=1st team: Ben Hedley |website=Witton Albion F.C. |access-date=7 September 2019}}</ref> |NPL Premier Division |17||1||0||0||1||0||1{{efn|name=FAT|Appearance(s) in FA Trophy}}||0||19||1 |- |Bradford (Park Avenue) |2019–20<ref name=Soccerway/> |National League North |7||0||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||7||0 |- |rowspan=7|Darlington |2019–20<ref name=Soccerway/><ref>For FA Cup qualifying rounds: {{cite web |url=https://darlingtonfc.co.uk/news/trafford-v-darlington-updates |title=Quakers win first FA Cup tie in five years |first=Ray |last=Simpson |publisher=Darlington F.C. |date=21 September 2019 |access-date=23 September 2019}}<br>{{cite web |url=https://darlingtonfc.co.uk/news/leamington-v-darlington-updates |title=Tyrone and Justin put Quakers through |first=Ray |last=Simpson |publisher=Darlington F.C. |date=5 October 2019 |access-date=6 October 2019}}<br>{{cite web |url=https://darlingtonfc.co.uk/news/tamworth-v-darlington-updates-1 |title=Two from Tyrone help to fire Quakers into the first round |first=Ray |last=Simpson |publisher=Darlington F.C. |date=19 October 2019 |access-date=23 October 2019}}<br>For FA Trophy third qualifying round: {{cite web |url=https://darlingtonfc.co.uk/news/darlington-v-gainsborough-trinity-updates |title=Sub Justin scores the winner |first=Ray |last=Simpson |publisher=Darlington F.C. |date=23 November 2019 |access-date=25 November 2019}}</ref> |National League North |22||0||5||0||colspan=2|—||4{{efn|name=FAT}}||0||31||0 |- |2020–21<ref name=Soccerway/><ref>For FA Cup third qualifying round: {{cite web |url=https://darlingtonfc.co.uk/news/darlington-v-tadcaster-albion-updates |title=Early Liddle goal sets up Quakers goal spree |first=Ray |last=Simpson |publisher=Darlington F.C. |date=13 October 2020 |access-date=14 October 2020}}</ref> |National League North |5||0||3||0||colspan=2|—||2{{efn|name=FAT}}||0||10||0 |- |2021–22<ref name=Soccerway/><ref>For FA Cup second qualifying round: {{cite web |url=https://darlingtonfc.co.uk/news/darlington-v-chester-updates-2 |title=Quakers held to a goalless draw in FA Cup |first=Ray |last=Simpson |publisher=Darlington F.C. |date=18 September 2021 |access-date=20 September 2021}}<br />{{cite web |url=https://darlingtonfc.co.uk/news/chester-v-darlington-updates-2 |title=Quakers knocked out of Cup by lucky goal |first=Ray |last=Simpson |publisher=Darlington F.C. |date=21 September 2021 |access-date=22 September 2021}}</ref> |National League North |34||0||1||0||colspan=2|—||1{{efn|name=FAT}}||0||36||0 |- |2022–23<ref name=Soccerway/><ref>For FA Cup second and third qualifying rounds: {{cite web |url=https://darlingtonfc.co.uk/news/darlington-v-southport-updates-3 |title=Becky's hat trick puts Quakers into the next round |publisher=Darlington F.C. |date=17 September 2022 |access-date=19 September 2022}}<br />{{cite web |url=https://darlingtonfc.co.uk/news/hyde-v-darlington-updates |title=Quakers beaten by second half goal at Hyde |first=Ray |last=Simpson |publisher=Darlington F.C. |date=1 October 2022 |access-date=2 October 2022}}</ref> |National League North |40||0||2||0||colspan="2"|—||3{{efn|name=FAT}}||1||45||1 |- |2023–24<ref name=Soccerway/><ref>For FA Cup second and third qualifying rounds: {{cite web |url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/match/2023-2024/fa-cup/darlington/workington-afc/479360 |title=Emirates FA Cup Second Qualifying Round – Darlington 3–1 Workington AFC |website=Football Web Pages |access-date=16 September 2023}}<br />{{cite web |url=https://darlingtonfc.co.uk/news/darlington-v-scarborough-updates-1 |title=Scarborough go through with late penalty |first=Ray |last=Simpson |publisher=Darlington F.C. |date=30 September 2023 |access-date=30 September 2023}}</ref> |National League North |34||0||2||0||colspan="2"|—||1{{efn|name=FAT}}||0||37||0 |- |2024–25<ref name=Soccerway>{{cite web |url=https://uk.soccerway.com/players/ben-hedley/432305/ |title=B. Hedley |website=Soccerway |publisher=Perform Group |access-date=30 April 2025}}</ref> |National League North |30||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0||30||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !165||0||13||0||colspan=2|—||11||1||189||1 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !191||1||13||0||1||0||14||1||219||2 |} {{notelist}}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Darlington F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hedley, Ben}} Category:1998 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Gateshead Category:English men's footballers Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Morecambe F.C. players Category:Witton Albion F.C. players Category:Bradford (Park Avenue) A.F.C. players Category:Darlington F.C. players Category:English Football League players Category:Northern Premier League players Category:National League (English football) players Category:21st-century English sportsmen