Terence Vancooten
Vancooten with Guyana at the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup
Personal information
Full name Terence Owen Vancooten[1]
Date of birth (1997-12-29) 29 December 1997 (age 26)
Place of birth Kingston upon Thames, England
Height 6 ft 4+1⁄2 in (1.94 m)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Stevenage
Number 15
Youth career
2013 Hampton & Richmond Borough
2013–2014 Leatherhead
2014 Brentford
2014–2015 Staines Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2016 Staines Town 9 (0)
2016–2017 Reading 0 (0)
2016 → Billericay Town (loan) 5 (0)
2017 → Basingstoke Town (loan) 9 (0)
2017– Stevenage 144 (0)
International career‡
2017– Guyana 16 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:53, 26 April 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 00:32, 9 July 2021 (UTC)

Terence Owen Vancooten (born 29 December 1997) is a professional footballer who plays as a defender for EFL League One club Stevenage. Born in England, he represents the Guyana national team.

Following spells at various youth academies, Vancooten joined Staines Town in 2014 and established himself in the first team during the 2015–16 season. He joined Championship club Reading in the summer of 2016, and was also loaned out to Billericay Town and Basingstoke Town during his time there. He signed for Stevenage in July 2017 and helped the club earn promotion into League One during the 2022–23 season.

Early life

Born in Kingston upon Thames, England, Vancooten is of Guyanese descent.[2] He attended Christ's School in Richmond, London.[3]

Club career

Early career

Vancooten began his career at Hampton & Richmond Borough, before joining Leatherhead's youth system, competing in the West Surrey under-16 league.[4] It was at Leatherhead where Vancooten was scouted by Brentford, joining the west London club in 2014 after a successful trial period.[5] After a brief spell at Brentford, he then joined Staines Town at academy level in early 2014, where he also represented the Middlesex FA.[6] He played regularly in the club's academy and subsequently began to play for the first team during the 2015–16 season, making 10 appearances in all competitions.[7]

He signed for Championship club Reading ahead of the 2016–17 season, and was placed in their under-23 development squad for the season.[7] After making three appearances for the under-23 team,[7] Vancooten was loaned out to Billericay Town in November 2016 for the remainder of the year.[8] He made five appearances during his time at Billericay before returning to his parent club.[9] Vancooten was loaned out once again on 25 February 2017, this time joining Southern League Premier Division club Basingstoke Town for the remainder of the 2016–17 season.[6] He made nine appearances for Basingstoke.[9] At the end of the season, Vancooten was released by Reading.[10]

Stevenage

Following his release from Reading, Vancooten spent several weeks on trial at League Two club Stevenage, playing in all of the Hertfordshire club's early pre-season fixtures.[11] The trial period was successful, and he signed a one-year contract, with the option of a further year, on 18 July 2017.[11][12] On joining the club, Vancooten stated "I can't wait to learn off everyone and improve myself as a player. I have already taken in so much. Both the players and management have been brilliant for me so I am confident I am at the right place".[13] He made his professional Football League debut on 26 August 2017, coming on as an 83rd-minute substitute as 10-man Stevenage held on to secure a 1–0 away victory at local rivals Barnet.[14] After establishing himself in the first team over the next two months, Vancooten signed an "improved and extended" deal with Stevenage in October 2017.[15] He made 24 appearances during the 2017–18 season.[16]

Vancooten played just nine times during the first half of the 2018–19 season.[17] Having not played for over three months,[17] he returned to the first team when he played the whole match in Stevenage's 2–0 away win at Grimsby Town on 6 April 2019.[17][18] He went on to play every minute of the club's last six matches of the season,[17] of which they won five and drew one,[17] as Stevenage missed out on a play-off place after finishing in 10th position in League Two.[19] He made 15 appearances during his second season with the club.[17] Vancooten received a PFA Community award in April 2019 for his contribution in the local community in Stevenage.[20] He signed a "new and improved" contract with Stevenage on 13 August 2019, with the new agreement running until 2022.[21] He went on to make 20 appearances during the 2019–20 season, which was curtailed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[22] Vancooten played a further 33 times throughout the 2020–21 season as Stevenage finished the League Two season in 14th position.[23][24] He signed a new two-year contract extension with Stevenage on 5 August 2021.[25]

Vancooten scored his first goal in senior club football in Stevenage's 3–0 victory against Wycombe Wanderers in the EFL Trophy on 20 September 2022.[26] A regular in central defence under manager Steve Evans during the first half of the 2022–23 season,[27] Vancooten suffered a hamstring injury during Stevenage's FA Cup fourth round tie against Stoke City on 21 January 2023.[28] The injury limited Vancooten to three further appearances throughout the remainder of the season.[27] He returned to the first team in April 2023 and made 38 appearances in all competitions that season as Stevenage earned promotion into League One after finishing in second place in League Two.[27][29] Out of contract at the end of the 2022–23 season,[30] Vancooten signed a new two-year contract extension with Stevenage on 15 June 2023.[31]

International career

In October 2017, Vancooten was called up to play for Guyana in a friendly away at Grenada.[2] He started the match, on 7 October 2017, which ended in a 1–0 defeat.[32] Vancooten was named in Guyana's 23-man squad for the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup,[33] the country's first appearance at a major international tournament.[33] He played in all three of Guyana's matches in the tournament as they finished in third place in their group.[7] Vancooten scored his first goal for Guyana in a 4–0 home victory over Bahamas during a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier on 30 March 2021.[7][34] The goal was also Vancooten's first in senior football.[7]

Style of play

Vancooten has played in every position across the defence.[7][35][36] Initially deployed as a defensive midfielder in the early stages of his career, he has then been utilised as a defender.[36] This firstly involved playing as a full-back, before playing regularly as a centre-back for Stevenage.[36] Vancooten's speed and composure on the ball have been highlighted as his main strengths, having a tendency to bring the ball out from defence.[35]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 10 April 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup EFL Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Staines Town 2015–16[7] IL Premier Division 9 0 1 0 — 0 0 10 0
Reading 2016–17[9] Championship 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 0 0
Billericay Town (loan) 2016–17[9] IL Premier Division 5 0 0 0 — 0 0 5 0
Basingstoke Town (loan) 2016–17[9] SL Premier Division 9 0 0 0 — 0 0 9 0
Stevenage 2017–18[16] League Two 22 0 0 0 0 0 2[a] 0 24 0
2018–19[17] League Two 12 0 0 0 0 0 3[a] 0 15 0
2019–20[22] League Two 16 0 1 0 1 0 2[a] 0 20 0
2020–21[23] League Two 29 0 2 0 0 0 2[a] 0 33 0
2021–22[37] League Two 38 0 3 0 2 0 3[a] 0 46 0
2022–23[27] League Two 27 0 4 0 3 0 4[a] 1 38 1
2023–24[38] League One 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 144 0 10 0 6 0 16 1 176 1
Career total 167 0 11 0 6 0 16 1 200 1
  1. ^ a b c d e f Appearances in EFL Trophy

International

Source:[7]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Guyana 2017 2 0
2018 1 0
2019 8 0
2021 5 1
Total 16 1

Honours

Stevenage

References

  1. ^ "Club list of registered players" (PDF). English Football League. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Trio called up for International Duty". Stevenage F.C. 2 October 2017. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  3. ^ "Christ's Chronicles Newsletter Issue Number 84". Christ's Chronicles Newsletter. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  4. ^ "Leatherhead youth midfielder Terence Vancooten". Tony's Soccer School. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  5. ^ "Brentford's College Partnership an 'opportunity' for teenagers". Brentford F.C. 29 November 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  6. ^ a b "Basingstoke agree deal for Reading youngster". Basingstoke Town F.C. 25 February 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Soccerway – Terence Vancooten". Soccerway. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  8. ^ "Injury-Hit Blues Add to Squad". Billericay Town F.C. 21 November 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  9. ^ a b c d e "Aylesbury United – Terence Vancooten". Aylesbury United F.C. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  10. ^ "Reading FC transfers: Moore, Kuhl and Tanner let go by Royals as summer clear-out starts". Get Reading. 13 May 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  11. ^ a b "Terence Vancooten joins Stevenage FC". Stevenage F.C. 18 July 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  12. ^ "Terence Vancooten: Stevenage bring in former Reading full-back". BBC Sport. 18 July 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  13. ^ "Vancooten excited for the future". Stevenage F.C. 18 July 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  14. ^ "Barnet 0–1 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 26 August 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  15. ^ "Terence Vancooten pens new deal". Stevenage F.C. 26 October 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  16. ^ a b "Games played by Terence Vancooten in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g "Games played by Terence Vancooten in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  18. ^ "Grimsby Town 0–2 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 6 April 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
  19. ^ "League Two Table – 2018/19". Soccerbase. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
  20. ^ "Terence Vancooten wins Stevenage FC's PFA Community Champion award". The Comet. 24 April 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  21. ^ "Stevenage FC – Terence Vancooten pens new deal". Stevenage F.C. 13 August 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  22. ^ a b "Games played by Terence Vancooten in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  23. ^ a b "Games played by Terence Vancooten in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  24. ^ "League Two – 2020–21 – League Table". Soccerway. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  25. ^ "Terence Vancooten: Stevenage centre-back signs new two-year deal". BBC Sport. 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  26. ^ "Report: Stevenage 3–0 Wycombe Wanderers". Stevenage F.C. 20 September 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  27. ^ a b c d "Games played by Terence Vancooten in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  28. ^ Metcalfe, Neil (30 March 2023). "Northampton Town v Stevenage: Terence Vancooten available". The Comet. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  29. ^ "League Two – 2022–23 – League Table". Soccerway. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  30. ^ "Stevenage FC Retained List 2022/23". Stevenage F.C. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  31. ^ "Terence Vancooten signs new Stevenage contract". Stevenage F.C. 15 June 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  32. ^ "Grenada humble Golden Jaguars 1–0 in St George's". Guyana Chronicle. 8 October 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  33. ^ a b "Vancooten & Golden Jaguars ready for Gold Cup adventure". Stevenage F.C. 17 June 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  34. ^ "Guyana 4–0 Bahamas". Soccerway. 30 March 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  35. ^ a b "Stevenage FC: Three players that have boosted Alex Revell's Boro". Hitchin News. 21 January 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  36. ^ a b c "Wallace's big hopes for Van". The League Paper. 18 August 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  37. ^ "Games played by Terence Vancooten in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  38. ^ "Games played by Terence Vancooten in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  39. ^ "Reeves goal secures Stevenage second spot". BBC Sport. 8 May 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2023.

External links

Stevenage F.C. – current squad
Guyana squad – 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup
Categories