George Boyd

George Jan Boyd (born 2 October 1985) is a professional footballer who plays for Wythenshawe Town.

Initially deployed as a left winger in the early stages of his career, Boyd was used more frequently in an attacking midfield role as his career progressed.

Boyd started his career in the youth academy at Charlton Athletic, before joining Stevenage Borough of the Football Conference in 2001.

Following his release from Charlton, Boyd was offered youth contracts by Bristol City, Farnborough Town and Stevenage Borough respectively, opting to join Football Conference club Stevenage on a two-year scholarship in 2001.

He made his first-team debut for Stevenage in 2002, aged 17, and spent five years there, scoring over thirty goals.

Boyd made his Stevenage debut at the age of 17 during the 2002–03 season, playing the first half in a 3–1 defeat against Margate at Broadhall Way on 14 December 2002.

Boyd did not play again for the first team that season.

The following season, Boyd played eleven times during the second half of the season under new manager Graham Westley, after impressing him during Boyd's involvement in the FA Youth Cup.

As a result of his form towards the latter stages of the 2003–04 season, Boyd was a regular in the first team the following season, playing 37 matches and scoring three times as Stevenage made the Conference National play-offs.

Boyd made an impact as a second-half substitute in matches towards the end of that season, assisting all three of Stevenage's goals in a 3–1 victory over Tamworth, as well as scoring his first Stevenage goal in a 2–1 win against Northwich Victoria in April 2004.

His first goal of the club's 2004–05 season came in a 4–1 victory against Northwich Victoria, scoring Stevenage's second just before half-time.

Boyd was sent-off for the first time in his career in a match against Canvey Island, receiving a straight red card.

He also played for the England National Game XI team, who represent England at non-League level, from 2005 to 2006, earning six caps and scoring one goal.

Boyd qualified to play for Scotland through his maternal grandfather.

During the team's 2005–06 season, Boyd started the season with three goals in five games, scoring twice against Woking in a 3–2 defeat, and once against Tamworth.

He signed a new three-year contract at the club on 11 November 2005.

Throughout the season, Boyd scored 12 times in 47 matches from midfield in all competitions.

Under the new management of Mark Stimson ahead of the 2006–07 season, Boyd was deployed in a more central role for the first time in a 2–1 defeat away at Tamworth on 2 September 2006, a match in which he scored Stevenage's solitary goal.

In the club's next match, he scored his first competitive hat-trick in a 6–0 win against Stafford Rangers.

Boyd scored four goals in a 7–0 victory over Merthyr Tydfil in the FA Trophy on 9 December 2006.

During the first half of the 2006–07 season, Boyd scored 15 goals in 27 matches in all competitions.

He signed for League Two club Peterborough United for a fee of £260,000 in January 2007, and won successive promotions in the 2007–08 and 2008–09 seasons.

In December 2006, Stevenage turned down an initial offer from Peterborough United for Boyd, but on 31 December both parties agreed a deal for the player and Boyd would officially sign for Peterborough on 8 January 2007 for a record Football Conference transfer fee of £260,000.

Subsequently, he played his last match for Stevenage a day later in a 3–2 win over Aldershot Town on 1 January 2007, scoring twice.

He joined Nottingham Forest on loan until the end of the 2009–10 season.

After playing for the Scotland B team in 2009, he earned his first cap at senior level in 2013.

Born in Chatham, Kent, Boyd grew up in Kent.

He combined a course at North Hertfordshire College with playing football.

During this time, Boyd worked in a sweet shop at Hitchin railway station to earn the money for his train fare to training.

Boyd started his career as a part of Charlton Athletic's youth system at the age of 10.

He was released by Charlton aged 15, and went on to briefly compete for Chatham Town's under-18 team in the Kent Youth League.

He returned to Peterborough and was part of the team that won promotion back to the Championship during the 2010–11 season.

A loan move to Hull City followed for the remainder of the 2012–13 season, helping the club earn promotion back to the Premier League during the three-month agreement.

The move was made permanent and he would go on to be a part of the Hull team that made the FA Cup final in 2014.

He signed for Burnley, also of the Premier League, in September 2014, where he spent three seasons.

During this time, Boyd gained coverage for his running statistics, running the highest average distance per game in the Premier League during the 2014–15 season.

He helped Burnley back to the Premier League during the 2015–16 season.

Boyd subsequently joined Sheffield Wednesday in July 2017 and made 50 appearances over two seasons there.

He returned to Peterborough United for the 2019–20 season and then spent the following season at Salford City of League Two.

Boyd announced his retirement from playing professional football in October 2021.