Lev Yalcin

Lev Yalcin
Personal information
Full name Levent Yalcin[1]
Date of birth (1985-03-25) 25 March 1985 (age 39)[1]
Place of birth Middlesbrough, England
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder / Striker
Youth career
Newcastle United
–2002 York City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2006 York City 62 (2)
2006 Whitby Town 12 (1)
2006–2007 Bishop Auckland 34 (10)
2007 Billingham Synthonia 34 (14)
2007–2011 Stokesley Sports Club
2011 Spennymoor Town
2011–2012 Norton & Stockton Ancients 10 (2)
2012–2014 Marske United 8 (3)
International career
2002 Turkey U18 9 (4)
2002–2004 Turkey U19 3 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Levent "Lev" Yalcin (Turkish: Yalçın; born 25 March 1985) is a former professional footballer who played as a midfielder or striker. Born in England, he is a former youth international for Turkey.

Club career

York City

Yalcin was born in Middlesbrough, Cleveland.[1] He began his career at Newcastle United's centre of excellence before joining York City's youth system.[2] He was called up for North East schools in July 2000, along with teammates Chris Hogg and Graeme Law, which served as a trial for England schools.[3] He was offered a three-year scholarship with York in March 2001, starting for the 2001–02 season.[4] He made his first-team debut as an 84th-minute substitute for Graham Potter in a 1–0 away defeat to Sheffield United in the League Cup first round on 10 September 2002.[5][6] Aged 17 years and 173 days, he became the eighth-youngest debutant in York's history.[7]

Yalcin agreed to sign his first professional contract with York in March 2004, for the 2004–05 season.[8] He attracted interest from abroad, training with Antalyaspor and Denizlespor for a period in 2004, and Royal Antwerp were also believed to be ready to give him a trial.[9] He was reported to have joined Darlington on a one-month loan in September 2004,[10] but it was later revealed that the deal, which saw David McGurk join York on loan, was only one way and Yalcin had not moved.[11] He went on to score his first goal for York against Morecambe in October 2004.[12] He had a trial at Yeovil Town in January 2005.[13] He signed a new contract with York in June 2005.[14]

Non-League football

Yalcin was signed by Northern Premier League Premier Division team Whitby Town on 10 February 2006 after he left York by mutual consent.[15] Just days after joining Whitby, Yalcin went on a two-week trial with Hartlepool United.[16] He made his debut in Whitby's 3–2 away win over Wakefield-Emley on 18 March 2006, before scoring his first goal in a 2–0 home win over Frickley Athletic on 26 April.[17] Yalcin finished the 2005–06 season with 12 appearances and one goal for Whitby.[17] He played for Conference North team Scarborough in a pre-season friendly in August 2006, against Whitby, who he played for the previous season.[18] Later that month he signed for Bishop Auckland of the Northern League Division One.[19] Yalcin went on trial with Scunthorpe United of League One in April 2007[20] before joining Northern League Division One club Billingham Synthonia in August.[21]

Yalcin had moved to Northern League Division Two club Stokesley Sports Club by late 2007.[22] In the 2009–10 season he scored 28 goals from 38 matches for Stokesley, helping them to promotion to Northern League Division One for the first time in their history[23] as Division Two champions.[24] During his time at Stokesley he worked on oil rigs in the North Sea.[7] He signed for Northern League Division One club Spennymoor Town on 5 June 2011[25] but having not been involved in any fixtures signed for their divisional rivals Norton & Stockton Ancients on 15 September 2011.[26] Yalcin signed for another Northern League Division One club, Marske United, on 23 October 2012,[27] making his debut as a substitute at Bishop Auckland on 17 November.[28] He scored with a powerful low shot in their 2–1 extra time win over Whitley Bay in the 2014 Northern League Challenge Cup final, played at St James' Park on 6 May 2014.[29]

International career

Yalcin was eligible to represent Turkey at international level as his father is Turkish.[2] He made his debut for the Turkey national under-18 team when starting their 0–0 away draw with the Netherlands in a friendly on 6 March 2002.[30] He scored his first goal for them in his following appearance, a 1–1 draw away to Germany in a friendly on 2 April 2002.[30] Yalcin made three appearances at the 2002 Balkan Youth Championship, scoring in Turkey's 1–1 draw with Bulgaria on 7 July 2002 and their 2–0 win over Greece on 9 July.[30] Shortly after the tournament he scored on his debut for the under-19 team, in their 3–1 home victory over Israel on 29 July 2002.[30] In total Yalcin earned nine caps and scored four goals for the under-18s (in 2002) and earned three caps and scored one goal for the under-19s (from 2002 to 2004).[30]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
York City 2001–02[31] Third Division 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2002–03[5] Third Division 5 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 6 0
2003–04[32] Third Division 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 0
2004–05[33] Conference National 31 2 1 0 — 1[a] 0 33 2
2005–06[34] Conference National 11 0 2 0 — 0 0 13 0
Total 62 2 3 0 1 0 1 0 67 2
Whitby Town 2005–06[17] NPL Premier Division 12 1 — — 0 0 12 1
Career total 74 3 3 0 1 0 1 0 79 3
  1. ^ Appearance in Football League Trophy

Honours

Stokesley Sports Club

Marske United

References

  1. ^ a b c d Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2004). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2004/2005. Harpenden: Queen Anne Press. p. 445. ISBN 978-1-85291-660-2.
  2. ^ a b "Yalcin power thrills City". York Evening Press. 18 July 2002. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  3. ^ "England call for City trio". York Evening Press. 29 July 2000. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  4. ^ "Star chance for young set". York Evening Press. 3 March 2001. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  5. ^ a b Batters, Dave (2008). York City: The Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. pp. 400–401, 418–419. ISBN 978-1-85983-633-0.
  6. ^ "Sheffield United 1, York City 0". York Evening Press. 11 September 2002. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  7. ^ a b Flett, Dave (27 November 2010). "Mixed fortunes for York City's teen debuts". The Press. York. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  8. ^ "Yalcin to sign new deal". York Evening Press. 23 March 2004. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  9. ^ "Turkish chance for young Minsterman". Non-League Daily. 19 July 2004. Archived from the original on 10 March 2012.
  10. ^ "York and Darlo in loan swap". BBC Sport. 15 September 2004. Retrieved 3 August 2007.
  11. ^ "Loan deal is one-way only". Non-League Daily. 17 September 2004. Archived from the original on 10 March 2012.
  12. ^ "Yalcin opens York account". BBC Sport. 6 October 2004. Retrieved 3 August 2007.
  13. ^ "Leeds teenager joins York on loan". BBC Sport. 21 January 2005. Retrieved 3 August 2007.
  14. ^ "Convery completes York City move". BBC Sport. 30 June 2005. Retrieved 3 August 2007.
  15. ^ "Logan moves for Turk". Whitby Gazette. 10 February 2006. Archived from the original on 27 March 2012.
  16. ^ "Turk on way without even playing". Whitby Gazette. 16 February 2006. Archived from the original on 21 September 2011.
  17. ^ a b c "Fixtures 2005/06". Whitby Town F.C. Archived from the original on 28 February 2006. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  18. ^ "Lev for Boro". The Press. York. 7 August 2006. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  19. ^ "Bishop Auckland 1, Whitley Bay 2". Evening Chronicle. Newcastle upon Tyne. 27 August 2006. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  20. ^ "Reserves claim a point at Hartlepool". Scunthorpe United FC. 19 April 2007. Archived from the original on 13 February 2012.
  21. ^ "Wait over as Birtley return to league". The Northern Echo. Darlington. 10 August 2007. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  22. ^ Vickers, Anthony (1 December 2007). "Marske U 1, Stokesley 3". Evening Gazette. Middlesbrough. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  23. ^ a b Flett, Dave (24 April 2010). "Rigger Yalcin keen for City to strike it rich". The Press. York. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  24. ^ a b "Stokesley". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  25. ^ "New Signings for the coming season". Spennymoor Town F.C. 5 June 2011. Archived from the original on 5 July 2015.
  26. ^ "Another Player signs". Spennymoor Town F.C. 15 September 2011. Archived from the original on 4 July 2015.
  27. ^ "Latest news". Marske United F.C. 23 October 2012. Archived from the original on 9 October 2013. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  28. ^ Steel, Adam (21 November 2012). "Lev Yalcin is in line for his full Marske United debut". Evening Gazette. Middlesbrough. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  29. ^ a b Steel, Adam (9 May 2014). "Marske United still on crest of a wave after Northern League Cup final glory". Evening Gazette. Middlesbrough. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  30. ^ a b c d e "Player Details: Levent Yalçin". Turkish Football Federation. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  31. ^ "Squad stats: 2001/02". Soccerbase. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  32. ^ Batters. York City: The Complete Record. pp. 402–403, 418–419.
  33. ^ Batters. York City: The Complete Record. pp. 404–405, 418–421.
  34. ^ Batters. York City: The Complete Record. pp. 406–407, 418–421.