Biography
Centre back Matthew Pennington joined Hull City on the August 2019 transfer deadline day, commencing a season-long loan. During the early months of the 2019/20 season he mainly featured on the bench, in January 2020 he secured a regular first team place due to injuries to Eric Lichaj and Stephen Kingsley, a place he kept until the COVID19 pandemic drew a halt to the season. When football returned in June 2020 Lichaj was gone and Pennington made the right back berth his own, but his form suffered as City plunged down the table and his last appearance came in a July 2020 0-8 humiliation against Wigan Athletic.
Born in Warrington, Matthew Pennington joined Everton’s youth system at 11 years old and rose through the ranks, signing his first professional contract in July 2013. In January 2014 he made his first foray into senior football when he joined League One side Tranmere Rovers on a half season loan, making his senior debut on New Years Day 2014 against Wolverhampton Wanderers and netting his first senior goal later in January 2014 against Crewe Alexandra. He scored two goals in 17 appearances for Rovers during a four month loan. In November 2014 he was loaned out again, this time to League One side Coventry City where he made 25 appearances.
In August 2015 Matthew made his senior debut for Everton, starting a League Cup tie against Barnsley. In January 2016 he played in an FA Cup tie against Dagenham & Redbridge, then in March 2016 he joined League One side Walsall on a month’s loan, making 5 appearances. Pennington impressed at Walsall such that when an injury crisis struck the Toffees in late April 2016. Pennington’s loan was terminated early and he was handed a Premier League debut against Bournemouth. He went on to start the last four fixtures of Everton’s season.
Having broken into the Everton first team, a poorly timed hamstring injury meant Matthew missed much of the 2016/17 season. When he returned to fitness he made quite an impression, scoring an April 2017 equaliser against arch rivals Liverpool. Restored to full fitness at the start of the 2017/18 season, Pennington joined Championship side Leeds United on a season-long loan and debuted for the Whites in August 2017 against Bolton Wanderers. Injuries again hampered his season and he left Leeds in May 2018 having made 24 appearances. In August 2018 he joined Ipswich Town, another Championship side, on a season-long loan and scored one goal in 31 appearances as the Tractor Boys finished bottom of the table. In August 2019 he packed his bags once more, joining Hull City on loan.
In January 2021 Matthew was on the move again, joining League One side Shrewsbury Town on loan for the second half of the 2020/21 season. He scored two goals in 20 appearances for the Shrews before his release by Everton in the 2021 close season – in the six years since his Toffees debut he scored one goal in 9 appearances. In May 2021 Pennington signed a permanent deal for Shrewsbury Town, he was a regular starter for two seasons and added a further nine goals in 93 appearances.
He left the Shrews on expiry of his contract in June 2023 and signed for recently relegated League One side Blackpool – in his first season at Bloomfield Road he scored two goals in 38 appearances as the Tangerines narrowly missed out on the play-off berths.
Pennington won a single England under-19 cap in March 2013 against Turkey.
Details
Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 6 October 1994, Warrington
Hull City First Game: 13 August 2019, Tranmere Rovers A (League Cup First Round), 24 years, 311 days old
Hull City Final Game: 14 July 2020, Wigan Athletic A (Championship), 25 years, 282 days old
Clubs
Everton (2013-2021), Tranmere Rovers (2014, loan), Coventry City (2014-2015, loan), Walsall (2016, loan), Leeds United (2017-2018, loan), Ipswich Town (2018-2019, loan), Hull City (2019-2020, loan), Shrewsbury Town (2021, loan), Shrewsbury Town (2021-2023), Blackpool (2023-current)
Hull City Record
Career: 16 apps, 0 goals
Matthew Pennington| Season | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019/20 | 13 (1) | 0 | – | – | 2 (0) | 0 | – | – | – | – |