# Joey Hope

Joseph Alexander Hope (born 28 June 2002) is an English footballer who plays as a left back for Northern League Division One club West Auckland Town.
He previously played for Grimsby Town, for which he made his senior debut in 2020, and spent time on loan at Northern Premier League club Cleethorpes Town, before joining Darlington of the National League North. He spent time on loan at Guisborough Town and Northallerton Town before signing for Marske United in 2022. After a further spell on loan at Northallerton, he signed for West Auckland Town at the start of the 2023–24 season.

## Early life

Hope attended Richmond School in Richmond, North Yorkshire. He played youth football in the Teesside area for teams including Richmond Town U11 and Polton Allstars, and represented North Yorkshire Schools at U16 level. He was for a time a member of Sunderland's academy, from where he joined Grimsby Town in 2018.

## Career
### Grimsby Town

Hope's performances for the club's under-18 team and reserves earned him a scholarship to begin in July 2018, but his first year was disrupted by injury. He missed pre-season while recovering from knee surgery, and when he returned to action he suffered a similar injury to the other knee. He was given a first-team squad number for 2019–20 and named among the substitutes for EFL Cup and EFL Trophy matches early in the season, but remained unused. In October 2019, he was reported to be interesting clubs including Everton and Middlesbrough, but nothing came of the rumours. He signed a one-year professional contract, and made his senior debut on 8 September 2020, starting in a EFL Trophy match against Harrogate Town. According to the Grimsby Telegraph, "he really shone. Looked to be Town's biggest threat going forward in the first half, carrying the ball with ease and coming up with a decent final product." He played 67 minutes before making way for Grimsby Town's youngest debutant, the 15-year-old Louis Boyd; the team went on to win on penalties. In October, he made three appearances in the Northern Premier League South East Division during a one-month loan spell with Cleethorpes Town. On 30 March 2021, the club confirmed that Hope had been released from his contract by mutual consent.

### Darlington

Hope signed for National League North club Darlington in May 2021, and was one of six debutants in the starting eleven for their first match of the season, a 3–2 defeat at home to Alfreton Town. In September, he joined Northern League Division One club Guisborough Town on loan for a month and went straight into the starting eleven for the 3–1 win away to Crook Town. On 5 January 2022, Hope joined Northern League Division One club Northallerton Town on loan for the remainder of the 2021–22 season, where he made 13 appearances and scored his first career goal.

### Marske United

Hope joined Northern Premier League Premier Division club Marske United in July 2022. He made nine appearances for Marske before returning to Northallerton Town on a short-term loan in October 2022.

## Career statistics

    As of end of 2022–23 season
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | EFL Cup | EFL Cup | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Grimsby Town | 2019–20 | League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Grimsby Town | 2020–21 | League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Grimsby Town | Total | Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Cleethorpes Town (loan) | 2020–21 | Northern Premier League Division One South East | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 |
| Darlington | 2021–22 | National League North | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Guisborough Town (loan) | 2021–22 | Northern League Division One | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Northallerton Town (loan) | 2021–22 | Northern League Division One | | | — | — | — | — | | | 13 | 1 |
| Marske United | 2022–23 | NPL Premier Division | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Northallerton Town (loan) | 2022–23 | Northern League Division One | | | — | — | — | — | | | 11 | 1 |
| West Auckland Town | 2023–24 | Northern League Division One | | | | | — | — | | | | |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 47 | 2 |
* ↑ Appearance in EFL Trophy
* ↑ Three appearances in FA Trophy, one in North Riding Senior Cup