Born on this day in 2001 is midfielder Jay Matete, who is currently on loan at Plymouth Argyle.
Matete joined Fleetwood Town’s academy in 2018 after a brief stint at Reading, making his senior debut in the EFL Trophy against Liverpool U21s, coming on as a late substitute as Fleetwood won on penalties.
His League One debut came in a 2-1 win over Burton, playing a 5-minute cameo at the end of the game to see out the win. In the following weeks, Matete was gradually given more game time off the bench, until he started his first match against Rochdale in October 2020. However, he was brought off at half time.
In January 2021, with Matete showing promise but struggling to nail down a position in the side, he was sent to Grimsby in League Two. He thrived in a lower division, playing consistently and scoring his first goal just 30 seconds into a game against Bolton, with the Mariners winning 2-1.
Jay's second goal of the season was a stunning winner against Oldham. He picked the ball up on the halfway line, drove forward and smashed a shot into the top corner with his weaker left foot.
After continuing to impress during his loan spell, he returned to Fleetwood in time for the 2021/22 season. He was given a starring role in midfield, becoming a fan favourite because of his excellent defensive work and protection of the ball.
Good performances earned the midfielder a move to Wearside in January 2022, where he made his debut on the same minute as returning Sunderland legend Jermain Defoe against Doncaster Rovers. The Lads lost 2-1 that day, with Mike Dodds in charge as caretaker.
Alex Neil was eventually appointed (also on this day!) and we went on a massive unbeaten run to the play-offs. Matete was a bit-part player under Neil, with the Scottish manager opting for the experience of Corry Evans instead as we finally escaped the clutches of League One.
However, Jay Matete was struggling for game time at Sunderland in the Championship, with the introduction of Abdoullah Ba and Edouard Michut not helping the situation. On the 6th of January, Jay was loaned out to League One promotion hopefuls Plymouth Argyle. Steven Schumacher was very pleased with his arrival, and Matete made his debut one day later.
The midfielder played a huge part in Plymouth's 4-2 victory over Cheltenham, with many of the Argyle faithful saying he was man of the match. He earned an assist when he picked up the ball in his own half and surged the full length of the pitch before sliding it through to Sam Cosgrove to finish.
Matete won January Player of the Month at Plymouth, and it is clear that he has settled in well. He will spend the rest of this season on loan at Plymouth, and he could help guide them to promotion before hopefully returning to Sunderland a more complete player for the Championship...
