Jonathan Spector life and biography

Jonathan Michael Paul Spector (born March 1, 1986) is an American Association Football player who plays for English Premier League club West Ham United as a defender. He started his professional career in England when he was signed by Manchester United as a teenager. Although he began playing as a striker during his younger days, he was switched to a defensive position when he was a teenager. His natural position is right back as he is right-footed but he can play across the defensive line and in central midfield.

Spector grew up the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights, Illinois (also the hometown of former Fulham and US national team player Brian McBride). He played high school football at St. Viator High School and started his club football career with Schwaben AC in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, before joining national power Chicago Sockers. He graduated from the United States Soccer Federation's Bradenton Academy in 2003 and as his ancestry (his grandparents on the mother's side came from Siegen, Germany) allowed him to acquire a German passport, he elected to go to Europe.

Spector was discovered by Manchester United scout Jimmy Ryan 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 Ryan had attended to scout other players. Highly impressed by Spector's natural defensive instincts, Ryan alerted the club.

Spector joined United in summer 2003, he made his first appearance for the first team in the FA Community Shield match against Arsenal in August 2004. In December 2004, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson announced that Spector would be loaned out to fellow Premiership side Blackburn Rovers for the remainder of the season. However, Ferguson was soon forced to postpone the deal due to an injury crisis in the United defence. The injury crisis continued and Spector was not able to make his loan move on time due to the transfer window closing on January 31, 2005. Before the start of the 2005–06 season, Spector went on a season-long loan to Charlton Athletic to obtain more first team experience. He finished the season making sixteen starts and eight substitute appearances.

Spector moved to London side West Ham United in a deal initially worth £500,000 in June 2006 thereby 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 on September 28, 2006 going on to make twenty-eight appearances in all competitions in the 2006–07 season. Spector had initially been brought as backup to the West Ham defence, but he had an extended run of games due to injury problems and his ability to play anywhere in the back four with equal ease. On November 11, 2007, it was believed that Spector had scored his first professional goal, in the 5–0 away win at Derby County. However, this has since been credited as an own goal by Derby County and fellow American international Eddie Lewis. Spector missed most of the 2008–09 season due to injuries but following the departure of Lucas Neill, who was not replaced by manager Gianfranco Zola, Spector played in 27 of a possible 38 games in season 2009-10.

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 U.S. 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 U.S. 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 Andres 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 US scraped through to the semifinals on goal difference. In the final against Brazil, Spector once again assisted Dempsey in scoring the opening goal with a similar long cross from the right flank.

Having returned from a long injury lay-off, Spector was ever present at right back for the remaining 2010 World Cup fourth round qualifers in 2009 although he has also been partnered with captain Carlos Bocanegra in central defense occasionally due to Oguchi Onyewu's long-term injury. He was rested for the USA's last qualifying match against Costa Rica on 14 October as qualification had already been secured and was recalled for friendlies in November and March. Coach Bob Bradley included him in the final 23-man squad for the World Cup.

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