Jonathan Spector

Manchester United

Spector was discovered by a Manchester United scout while playing for the American Under-17 squad at the Milk Cup in 2003. Originally a striker, Spector was lined up in defense due to injuries for a game the scout had attended to scout other players. Impressed by Spector's defending, the scout alerted the club. Spector joined United in summer 2003. He won the club's Young Player of the Year award for the 2003–04 season. He made his first appearance for the first team in the FA Community Shield match against Arsenal in August 2004. In December, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson announced that Spector would be loaned out to fellow Premier League side Blackburn Rovers for the remainder of the season. However, Ferguson was forced to postpone the deal due to an injury crisis in the United defense. The injury crisis continued and Spector was not able to make his loan move before the transfer window closed on January 31, 2005. Before the start of the 2005–06 season, Spector went on a season-long loan to another Premiership club, Charlton Athletic, to obtain more first-team experience. He finished the season with 16 starts and eight substitute appearances.

West Ham United

Spector was signed by manager Alan Pardew for West Ham United in a deal initially worth £500,000 in June 2006, ending his association with Manchester United after eight appearances. He made his debut for the club in the first round defeat of the UEFA Cup against Palermo in Sicily…

In 2003, Spector played for the United States national team at the World Under-17 Championship in Finland and earned his first cap for the senior team on November 17, 2004, in a World Cup qualifier against Jamaica. In 2005, Spector was part of the United States Under-20 team at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship in the Netherlands and as the 2005–06 Premier League season approached its conclusion, was considered a long shot to be included in the United States World Cup squad. However, a shoulder injury sustained on April 17 in a game against Portsmouth ended his chances of playing at the World Cup. Spector was a member of the United States team that beat Mexico 2–1 in the CONCACAF Gold Cup Final in Chicago in June 2007. However, during the final, he had to be substituted by Frankie Simek as he collided heads with Mexican midfielder Andrés Guardado. Immediately after the substitution Benny Feilhaber struck the winning volley. Following injuries to Steve Cherundolo and Frankie Hejduk, Spector was included in the United States roster for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup and took the chance to cement his place in the national team, starting at right-back for the entire tournament. He assisted Clint Dempsey to score a vital goal against Egypt in the last group stage match as the United States scraped through to the semifinals on the basis of goals scored. In the final against Brazil, Spector once again assisted Dempsey in scoring the opening goal with a similar long cross…

Club

As of May 20, 2019

International appearances

As of 20 May 2019

Spector was born and grew up in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights, Illinois the youngest of four children. He is Lutheran, but his paternal grandfather was Jewish. His father is of Russian, English and Irish ancestry, and his mother was born in Siegen, Germany. As a result, Spector has a German passport, which allowed him to play in England without needing a work permit. Spector's grandfather, Art Spector, was an NBA basketball player and the first player to be signed by the Boston Celtics in 1946, which led to him becoming known as the "Original Celtic". Art died in June 1987, when Jonathan was 15 months old. Spector attended St. Peter Lutheran Junior High School and St. Viator High School, where he played high school soccer. He was an Amateur Athletic Union basketball standout. He started his club soccer career with Schwaben AC in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, before joining national power Chicago Sockers (2003). He also played youth soccer with Chicago Fire (2003) and Manchester United (2003). He graduated from the United States Soccer Federation's Bradenton Academy at the age of 17 in the summer of 2003.