Matt Ingram - Player File from Chairboys on the Net

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MATT
INGRAM
(Goalkeeper)
Born: 18 Dec 1993
Where: High Wycombe

Joined Wycombe: From Youth Team - signed pro forms May 2012.
Wycombe Debut: Wycombe 0 Accrington 1 - League Two - 21 March 2013
Final game: Aston Villa 2 Wycombe 0 - FA Cup 3rd Round - 19 Jan 2016
Left Wycombe: 22 January 2016 - joined QPR - undisclosed fee
Returned to Wycombe: 15 Nov 2018 - seven day emergency loan from QPR
Played one game - 17 Nov 2018 - Sunderland 1 Wycombe 1 - League One

Career summary at Wycombe.
141 appearances - 0 goals

*Career Details () indicates loan spell**
Date	Club	League Apps	League goals	Cup Apps	Cup Goals
2012/2013	Wycombe Wanderers	8(0)	0	0(0)	0
2013/2014	Wycombe Wanderers	46(0)	0	7(0)	0
2014/2015	Wycombe Wanderers	46(0)	0	4(0)	0
2015/2016	Wycombe Wanderers	24(0)	0	5(0)	0
Jan16-Jun19	Queens Park Rangers	10	0	9	0
2017-2018	Northampton Town(*)	20	0	0	0
2018/2019	Wycombe Wanderers(*)	1	0	0	0

Background: Local born player who came through the Wanderers Centre of Excellence and then the Youth Team. As a Youth Team scholar he had a work experience spell with Lewes in February 2012 before signing his first pro deal in May 2012. Further loan spells at Hayes & Yeading United and Oxford City during the 2012–13 season earned him rave reviews. He then was then thrown into First Team action at Wycombe when Tottenham Hotspur loanee 'keeper Jordan Archer was recalled. It saw Ingram make his professional debut against Accrington Stanley on 29 March 2013, aged 19. With solid displays, he retained his place for the remainder of the 2012/13 season and then went on to become ever present during a the relegation haunted 2013/14 season - but a season where his impressive form saw him take the Supporters Player of the Season award. Hotly linked to a move to a top flight club during the summer of 2014, with West Ham and West Brom two names understood to be involved in fighting for the signature of this huge potential.

In August 2014 it was announced that the then 20 year old had signed a new deal with Wanderers running until June 2017. Commenting on the news, Ingram said "I’ve loved every minute of my time here and it’s a real honour to wear the number 1 shirt for the club I’ve followed all my life. Extending my contract was an easy decision to make because I’m really enjoying my football and I have a huge amount of respect for the staff who are helping me develop as a player."

Meanwhile, Manager Gareth Ainsworth added "Matt is a hugely talented young keeper and I really believe he is destined to play a much higher level later in his career. There has been plenty of interest in him from Premier League and Championship clubs already which shows how highly he is regarded within the game. However, he’s a very level-headed young man and he’s determined to make the most of the opportunity he has here to continue his development as a number 1 keeper, playing week in, week out. We’re delighted to have him on board for an extra two years and he has some great people around him, from his family to our goalkeeping coach Barry Richardson, who will help him to fulfil his massive potential."

Continued his impressive form into the 2014/15 season and on Saturday 7th March 2015 clocked up his 100th consecutive First Team game for the Wanderers when he stepped out against Southend United. His record came with the player still only at the age of 21. Went on to make his 100th consecutive Football League appearance in the final game of the regular 2014/15 season (away to Northampton Town) but suffered an injury and consequently missed the play-off games.

Speculation on his departure from Wanderers continued at the start of the 2015/16 season with media reports suggesting links to Aston Villa. On 24th October 2015 he lost his ever-present Football League record for Wanderers when injury prevented him from appearing in the 'League Two' game with Carlisle. In January 2016 a red card versus Morecambe ruled him out of the following week's home FA Cup tie with Aston Villa but a draw with the Premiership strugglers enabled Ingram to finally take the 'big stage' in the replay at Villa Park.

Three days after the tie at Villa Park a deal with Queens Park Rangers was confirmed - the then 22 year old signing a four and a half year deal with the Championship side. Commenting on the deal, Manager Gareth Ainsworth said: "It’s a fantastic move for Matt Ingram. He was so young coming into the team three years ago, and has been absolutely consistent and he deserves to prove himself at a higher level. I believe he is destined for the Premier League and one day we will see him there. He is going to make his mark on football and we have got nothing but pride here for what that young man has achieved."

Wanderers Chairman Andrew Howard added: "It’s a testament to the coaching abilities of Gareth, Richard Dobson and Barry Richardson that yet another young player has earned his move to a higher level and we should be proud as a club to have played a massive part in his development. This is not a last-minute deal; a lot of work has gone into it to ensure that the fee reflects the quality of the player. The money received from this transfer is another boost on our long path towards becoming debt-free and therefore becoming a stable supporter-owned football club."

Meanwhile, Ingram commented: "“I’m at the stage of my career when I want to progress and I see QPR as a natural step forward for me. I spoke to the manager [Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink] at length and he made me feel really welcome about coming here. I’m by no means the finished article – as a 22-year-old goalkeeper, I’ve still got a lot to learn – and coming here gives me another platform to develop and get better. The challenge of competing for the shirt will drive me on. Alex (Smithies) is a great keeper and I’m looking forward to working with him and the other keepers."

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who saw Ingram play for Wanderers agaihst his former club Burton Albion, said: “Matt is one for the future, but he’s joining us at a time when he’s developing into a really good young goalkeeper. Alex has the shirt now but I want Matt to challenge him – and that is why we have signed him. Knowing him and his character, he won’t just be coming here to sit on the bench. I want the pair of them to push each other to the extreme. That’s the healthiness I want around the whole club. We feel Matt will play at the highest level one day. We foresee a very bright future for him."

On Thurday 15th November 2018 it was announced that Ingram had returned to Wanderers on a seven-day emergency loan deal from QPR following injuries to Ryan Allsop and Yves Ma-Kalambay. Due to the international break, QPR were without a game the following weekend and have allowed Ingram to return to his hometown club and play in Wanderers first ever meeting with Sunderland (at the Stadium of Light on Saturday 17th November 2018). The match ended 1-1 with Wycombe only conceeding with six minutes remaining.

Also see
Matt Ingram - Forever in the Club records

External links
Soccerbase
Wikipedia

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