Standing at 6ft3, Jayden Stockley represents a handful for even the best-drilled defences. Having begun his career with Bournemouth, he enjoyed a series of loan spells before arriving at Exeter City in January 2016.
His good form at St James Park earned him a move to Scottish Premier League side Aberdeen, where he spent one season before re-joining the Grecians last summer. The focal point of City’s attack, he enjoyed a sterling season in front of goal, firing his way to the club’s golden boot.
54 – Prolific in red and white, Jayden first found the net for City just fifty-four minutes into his debut. With the Grecians trailing 1-0 away at Morecambe, he latched onto a Craig Woodman cross, volleying it smartly into the top corner. Having earned Exeter a draw, the goal proved vital in arresting a worrying slide in form that had seen them endure four straight defeats.
10 – Jayden followed up his impressive debut with a brace away at Leyton Orient the following weekend, helping the Grecians to a 3-1 win. Having quickly become Paul Tisdale’s go-to man, he finished off his loan spell as City’s top scorer, netting a stunning ten goals in just twenty-one appearances.
100,000 – Jayden’s good form earned him a move to Aberdeen during the summer of 2016. However, after just a year in the Scottish top flight, he decided to move back to St James Park for the princely sum of £100,000 – making him the most expensive player in Exeter’s illustrious history.
24 – In spite of this record-breaking fee, Jayden proved to be worth every penny, spearheading the Grecians’ charge to the Play Off Final with an impressive twenty goals, alongside another four in the FA Cup. Perhaps the most memorable came in late September when Exeter played host to Morecambe. Having already found the net, he chested down a Dean Moxey throw and flicked it over a hapless defender before rifling a volley into the far corner. Garnering comparisons to Paul Gascoigne’s famous goal against Scotland at Euro 96, the strike was named as the League Two goal of week just a few days later.
4 – Not just a natural goal scorer, Jayden also regularly takes advantage of his strong frame and tidy ball control to hold the ball up and turn provider for his teammates, notching up four assists last time out. This side of his game was abundantly evident on the season’s opening day when he neatly played in debutant Tristan Abrahams for City’s third goal in their 3-1 win over Carlisle United.
287 – Following up on an impressive pre-season, in which he netted one goal and provided one assist in three appearances, Jayden opened up his League Two account 287 miles away at Morecambe. Clearly a happy hunting ground for the Poole born striker, he found the net on the hour mark, rising highest to head home a Pierce Sweeney cross from close range. He will be hoping that this is the first of many to come this season.