Hope Akpan

Hope Ini Ita Akpan (born 14 August 1991) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for

Widnes.

Then in 2008, Akpan was promoted to the club's reserve under coach Andy Holden and signed his first professional contract by the end of the year.

He came through the youth ranks at Everton, making his first-team debut in 2009.

He later played for Hull City (on loan), Crawley Town, Reading, Blackburn Rovers, Burton Albion and Bradford City.

Having been included in the first team as an unused substitute in the 2009–10 season, Akpan made his competitive debut for Everton against BATE on 17 December 2009 in the UEFA Europa League.

On 17 March 2011, Akpan moved on loan to Championship side Hull City for the remainder of the 2010–11 season.

Akpan made his Hull City debut, where he came on as a substitute for Corry Evans in the early first half substitute, and set up a goal for David Amoo, in a 1–1 draw against Queens Park Rangers on 25 April 2011.

He also made another appearance in the last game of the season, in a 3–0 loss against Bristol City.

Akpan went on to make no more appearances for Hull City and upon returning to his parent club, he was released by the club.

After leaving Everton, Akpan signed for newly promoted League Two club Crawley Town on a free transfer on 14 June 2011.

Akpan scored on his Crawley Town debut but was sent-off in the last minutes for a second bookable offence, in a 3–2 win over AFC Wimbledon in the qualification round of the League Cup.

After serving a one match suspension, Akpan returned to the first team and set up a goal for Wes Thomas, in a 2–0 win over Macclesfield Town on 13 August 2011.

After being sidelined from the first team for a month, he then scored again on 29 October 2011, in a 1–1 draw against Accrington Stanley.

At the end of the 2011–12 season, Akpan went on to make thirty-three appearances and scoring two times in all competitions.

Despite being left out of the squad for the second time this season, Akpan, nevertheless, remained in the first team, forming a midfield partnership with Dannie Bulman However, although the club were promoted to League One, Akpan ended the season when he was sent-off in the sixth minutes for lunging Jason Prior, who had to be substituted, in a 1–1 draw against AFC Wimbledon on 14 April 2012.

For this, he was suspended and never played for the remainder of the season.

Ahead of the 2012–13 season, Akpan was named by local newspaper Crawley Observer as a player to watch for the new season.

He started the 2012–13 season well when he set up two goals in the opening game of the season, with a 3–0 win over Scunthorpe United.

However, Apkan was then sent-off for a second bookable offence, in a 3–0 loss against Portsmouth on 9 September 2012.

He scored his first goal of the season on 25 September 2012, in a 3–2 loss against Swansea City in the third round of the League Cup A week later, on 2 October 2012, Akpan scored again, in a 3–1 win over Bournemouth.

He scored two more goals by the end of October against Bury and Hartlepool United.

However, Akpan was sent-off for the second time this season when he was sent-off for a straight red card, in a 1–1 draw against Oldham Athletic on 27 October 2012.

Following the match, Akpan was the recipient of online racist abuse.

For his sending off against Oldham Athletic, Akpan served a three-match suspension.

After this, Akpan then scored again on 15 December 2012, in a 2–1 win over Stevenage.

Akpan soon came under criticism from Manager Richie Barker for being suspended for the third time this season and was told to clean up his act if he was fulfill his target.

Despite this, Akpan went on to make twenty-seven appearances and scoring five times in all competitions.

Akpan signed for Premier League side Reading on a three-and-a-half-year contract on 8 January 2013.

He stated his desire to help his new club avoid relegation.

Akpan made his Reading debut on 19 January 2013 against Newcastle United, where he came on as a second-half substitute, and set up a winning goal for Adam le Fondre, in a 2–1 win.

This was followed up on 30 January 2013 when he set up two goals again for Le Fondre, in a 2–2 draw against Chelsea.

However, after a handful of first team appearance, Akpan suffered ankle injury during a match against Southampton on 6 April 2013.

Although he returned from injury, Akpan remained as an unused substitute for the rest of the season, as they were relegated from the Premier League.

He became Bradford City's captain in March 2019, but lost the captaincy at the end of that season.

He left the club at the end of the following season, signing for Finnish club SJK in January 2021.

He left the club in July 2021.

In January 2022 he returned to England and played non-league football with Atherton Laburnum Rovers and Widnes.

Born in England, he represents Nigeria at international level.

Born in Liverpool, Merseyside, Akpan began his career at Everton at eight years old and after progressing through the ranks, he became a regular for the academy under coach Neil Dewsnip.