Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Rhys Alex Hughes | ||
Date of birth | [1] | 21 September 2001||
Place of birth | Wrexham, Wales | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Connah's Quay Nomads | ||
Youth career | |||
2008–2020 | Everton | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2020–2022 | Everton | 0 | (0) |
2022–2024 | Tranmere Rovers | 18 | (1) |
2023 | → Chester (loan) | 10 | (2) |
2023–2024 | → Curzon Ashton (loan) | 27 | (1) |
2024– | Connah's Quay Nomads | 0 | (0) |
International career‡ | |||
2017 | Wales U17 | 3 | (0) |
2019 | Wales U19 | 1 | (0) |
2020 | Wales U20 | 1 | (0) |
2021–2022 | Wales U21 | 10 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:45, 30 April 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 00:00, 14 June 2022 (UTC) |
Rhys Alex Hughes (born 21 September 2001) is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Cymru Premier club Connah's Quay Nomads.
Club career
[edit]Everton
[edit]Hughes joined the Academy at Everton at the age of six. He moved into club digs at the age of fourteen, though still managed to go on to achieve four A and four A* grades at GCSE.[2] He signed a two-and-a-half-year professional contract in January 2020, and scored three goals and provided six assists from fifteen league games for the under-18 team during the 2019–20 season.[3] He was promoted to the under-23 team at the end of the campaign; Hughes stated that "with Unsy, [assistant manager] John Ebbrell and [Under-23s coach] Franny Jeffers, it's a really good place to improve".[4] He was named as the Keith Tamlin Award winner, an award which "represents all that is best in the Everton Youth Academy".[5] He was nominated for the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award for January 2021, having scored in a 1–1 draw with Liverpool U23.[6] However he was not offered a new contract when his deal expired in summer 2022.[7]
Tranmere Rovers
[edit]On 21 June 2022, Hughes signed a two-year contract with EFL League Two club Tranmere Rovers.[8] He made his debut for the club on 9 August, coming on as an 82nd-minute substitute for Lee O'Connor in a 2–2 draw at Accrington Stanley in the EFL Cup.[9] He scored his first career goal at Prenton Park on 4 October, in a 5–3 defeat to Leeds United U23 in the EFL Trophy.[10]
In January 2023, he joined National League North promotion challengers Chester on an initial 28-day loan.[11]
On 17 November 2023, Hughes joined National League North club Curzon Ashton on an initial one-month loan deal.[12]
Hughes was released at the end of the 2023–24 season.[13]
Connah's Quay Nomads
[edit]On 1 August 2024, Hughes joined Cymru Premier club Connah's Quay Nomads.[14]
Style of play
[edit]Hughes is a midfielder with an excellent passing range and close ball control skills.[4] David Unsworth described him as "an outstanding footballer with great technique and a great set-ball delivery".[15]
Career statistics
[edit]- As of 30 April 2024
Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Everton U21 | 2021–22[16] | — | — | — | — | 1[a] | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||
Tranmere Rovers | 2022–23[17] | League Two | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4[a] | 1 | 23 | 2 |
2023–24[18] | League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
Total | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 25 | 2 | ||
Chester (loan) | 2022–23[19] | National League North | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | |
Curzon Ashton (loan) | 2023–24[19][20] | National League North | 27 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 5[b] | 3 | 32 | 4 | |
Career total | 55 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 67 | 8 |
- ^ a b c Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
- ^ Two appearances in FA Trophy, three appearances and three goals in Manchester Premier Cup
References
[edit]- ^ "Rhys Hughes - Midfielder - First Team - Tranmere Rovers Football Club". www.tranmererovers.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- ^ "Profile". toffeeweb.com. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- ^ "Player Profiles | Everton Football Club". www.evertonfc.com. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- ^ a b Lennox, Peter (2 October 2020). "Under-23s Midfielder Hughes Eager To Show Creative Quality". www.evertonfc.com. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- ^ McNamara, Paul (11 June 2020). "Midfielder Hughes Claims Coveted Honour At Everton Academy Awards". www.evertonfc.com. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- ^ "Everton Talent Nominated For PL2 Player Of The Month". www.evertonfc.com. 8 February 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- ^ Kenrick, Michael (21 June 2022). "Rhys Hughes joins Tranmere Rovers". toffeeweb.com. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- ^ Shahaney, Pranav (21 June 2022). "Rhys Hughes seal Everton exit to sign two-year deal at Tranmere Rovers". Goodison News. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- ^ "Accrington 2 - 2 Tranmere | Football". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- ^ "Tranmere Rovers 3-5 Leeds United U21s". www.tranmererovers.co.uk. 4 October 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- ^ "Rhys Hughes joins on loan from Tranmere". chesterfc.com. 18 January 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
- ^ "Rhys Hughes joins Curzon Ashton on month loan". www.tranmererovers.co.uk. 17 November 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
- ^ "2023/24 retained and released list". www.tranmererovers.co.uk. 30 April 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ "Former Wales U21 midfielder Hughes joins Nomads". www.the-nomads.co.uk. 1 August 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ Carroll, Sam (1 June 2021). "Everton plan for 'outstanding' teen explained after transfer interest". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- ^ "Games played by Rhys Hughes in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
- ^ "Games played by Rhys Hughes in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
- ^ "Games played by Rhys Hughes in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
- ^ a b Rhys Hughes at Soccerway. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
- ^ https://www.curzon-ashton.co.uk/teams/42677/player/r-hughes-3190746/86844 [bare URL]