Signed from: Worcester City
Brakes debut: 05/08/17 @ Gainsborough Trinity - National League North - Won 2-1
Appearances: 202
Goals: 18
2017/18: 47 starts, 1 sub appearance, 4 goals
2018/19: 44 starts, 1 sub appearance, 5 goals
2019/20: 30 starts, 1 sub appearance, 1 goal
2020/21: 7 starts, 10 sub appearances, 4 goals
2021/22: 10 starts, 20 sub appearances, 3 goals
2022/23: 5 starts, 16 sub appearances, 1 goal
2023/24: 7 starts, 3 sub appearances
Arriving in the summer of 2017 as Leamington returned to the National League North, Junior underlined his versatility by seamlessly switching from midfield to right back during his first campaign with us. He was been one of the most consistent performers in the squad over his seven seasons with the club, a statistic borne out by the fact that he scooped the Players Player of the Year and the Managers’ Player of the Year in his first two seasons with us, and regularly popped up with vital goals.
Unfortunately Junior was forced to prematurely call time on his playing career last season on medical advice, after suffering a worrying injury in a Birmingham Senior Cup tie against Rugby Town in November 2023. Having landed heavily from an aerial challenge during the first half of the cup tie, the home support became increasingly concerned as Junior did not move for quite some time, having suffered a loss of feeling in parts of his body. Fortunately this returned and he was able to rejoin his team mates in the dressing room, but having suffered problems with his neck and spine in the past, he was told after having scans that he would require surgery, and decided on advice that it would be better not to attempt a return to playing.
Prior to joining Leamington Junior spent a season with Worcester City. Until the 2023/24 season he played his entire career at Step 2 of the Pyramid having started out at Moor Green, and later Solihull Moors. Junior made over 300 appearances, playing in every position but goalkeeper, and was part of their National League North title winning squad in 2016. He passed 200 appearances in a Brakes shirt before the unfortunate end to his season and his playing career, but on a positive note he was able to end it with a promotion winners medal.
