Jason Prior

Jason Christopher Prior (born 20 December 1988) is an English footballer who plays as a striker for National League South side Dorking Wanderers. He has previously played for non-league sides AFC Newbury, Moneyfields and Margate. He made his full Football League debut for AFC Wimbledon on 28 January 2012.

Jason Prior
Personal information
Full name Jason Christopher Prior
Date of birth (1988-12-20) 20 December 1988
Place of birth Portsmouth, England
Position(s) Striker
Club information
Current team
 Dorking Wanderers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2006 AFC Newbury 28 (1)
2006–2009 Moneyfields 112 (43)
2009–2012 Bognor Regis Town 126 (95)
2012–2013 AFC Wimbledon 9 (0)
2013 → Dartford (loan) 9 (1)
2013–2014 Dartford 14 (1)
2014 → Gosport Borough (loan) 9 (1)
2014–2015 Margate 11 (2)
2014–2015 → Bognor Regis Town (loan) 28 (13)
2015–2016 Bognor Regis Town 43 (35)
2016–2018 Havant & Waterlooville 80 (40)
2018– Dorking Wanderers 42 (24)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19:34, 15 August 2019 (UTC)

Club career

Non-League career

Starting as a central Midfielder, Prior began his career at Premier Division Wessex League club AFC Newbury. The club narrowly avoided relegation in the 2005–06 season and found themselves in financial difficulties in the close season when they lost the lease on their Town Ground stadium in Berkshire, and as a result, were demoted to Division One of the Wessex League.[1] Prior subsequently left the club and signed for fellow Wessex League side Moneyfields.[2] Here he was converted to the position of striker when it became apparent that he had a natural talent for scoring goals. In September 2009, Prior moved to Isthmian League Premier Division side Bognor Regis Town. It was here that he found the most prolific form of his career to date, scoring 95 goals in 126 appearances for the club.[3] The striker was due to be sold to Conference South side Eastleigh for a fee of £12,000 in January 2012.[4] However, before the deal could take place Prior was offered the opportunity of a trial at Premier League side Newcastle United.[5] On 10 January 2012 Prior scored for Newcastle United Reserves' in a 3–1 win over Wigan Athletic Reserves in the 2011-12 Premier Reserve League.[6] In spite of a successful three-week trial period however, the striker failed to win a contract with "The Magpies" and was subsequently released on 23 January 2012.[7]

AFC Wimbledon

On 26 January 2012, Prior signed for League Two club AFC Wimbledon on a two-and-a-half-year contract.[8] Prior made his football league debut for AFC Wimbledon on 28 January 2012 as a second-half substitute for George Moncur in a 2–1 defeat at home to Aldershot Town.[9] The debut proved to be an ill-fated one for Prior, however, as he injured a tendon in his knee that side-lined him for nearly two months.[10] Having recovered Prior made his first league start for AFC Wimbledon on 9 April 2012 in a 2–0 defeat away to Southend United.[11] The next game against Crawley Town on 14 April 2012 heaped further injury woes on Prior however, as in the first six minutes he was on the receiving end of a wild lunge by Hope Akpan which resulted in Prior being stretchered off with a broken leg.[12] AFC Wimbledon physiotherapist, Mike Rayner, confirmed later that day that an X-Ray had shown that Prior had broken both his tibia and his fibula which would prevent him playing again for over nine months.[13] After a long recuperation, Prior was finally able to make his return to league football on 29 December 2012, in a 3–0 defeat at home to Oxford United.[14] On 18 March 2013, it was announced that Prior had joined Conference side Dartford on a one-month loan to help improve his match fitness.[15] On 14 May 2013, Prior was released from his contract and left AFC Wimbledon.[16]

Dartford

On 18 March 2013, it was announced that Prior had joined Conference side Dartford on a one-month loan.[15] Prior scored his first goal for Dartford in a 2–0 win over Telford United on 6 April 2013.[17] Prior made nine appearances, scoring one goal, during the loan spell before returning to AFC Wimbledon.[18] Following his release from "The Dons" on 14 May, Prior re-joined Dartford on a permanent deal on 15 July 2013.[19]

Margate

For the 2014/15 season, Prior teamed up with his former AFC Wimbledon boss Terry Brown by signing a two-year deal with Margate. However, he found opportunities limited at Hartsdown Park, making just 14 appearances,[20] and spent the majority of the season on loan at former club Bognor Regis Town.

Bognor Regis Town

During the summer of 2015, he was released from his contract at Margate and returned to Bognor on a permanent basis for the 2015/16 season. Prior scored 40 goals in 52 games all competitions, in a season in which the Rocks reached the FA Trophy semi-final.[21]

Career statistics
As of match played 12 April 2014.
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
AFC Wimbledon 2011–12[22] League Two 3000000030
2012–13[23] League Two 6000000060
Total 9000000090
Dartford (loan) 2012–13[23] Conference Premier 9100—0091
Dartford 2013–14[24] Conference Premier 14110—00151
Total 232100000242
Gosport Borough (loan) 2013–14[25] Conference South 9100—0091
Career total 413100000423

    References
    1. "Thatcham firm take over AFC Newbury ground lease". newburytoday.co.uk. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
    2. "Jason Prior". The FA. 28 September 2012.
    3. "Rocks Review: Prior gets his Football League chance". Chichester Observer. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
    4. "Eastleigh in £12k swoop for Bognor hotshot". Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
    5. "Jason Prior Still in Shock at Newcastle Trial". The Newcastle United Blog. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
    6. "Newcastle Reserves 3 – 1 Wigan Athletic Reserves". Newcastle United. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
    7. "Jason Prior's Newcastle Dream Ends". The Newcastle United Blog. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
    8. "Rocks Review: Prior gets his Football League chance". Chichester Observer. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
    9. "AFC Wimbledon 1 – 2 Aldershot Town". BBC Football. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
    10. "Wimbledon's forgotten man determined to win a place". AFC Wimbledon. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
    11. "Southend United 2 – 0 AFC Wimbledon". AFC Wimbledon. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
    12. "Crawley Town 1 – 1 AFC Wimbledon". BBC Football. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
    13. "Jason Prior injury update". AFC Wimbledon. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
    14. "AFC Wimbledon 0 – 3 Oxford United". AFC Wimbledon. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
    15. "Striker joins Dartford to gain match fitness". AFC Wimbledon. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
    16. "Neil confirms released list". AFC Wimbledon. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
    17. "Telford United 0 – 2 Dartford". BBC Football. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
    18. "Games played by Jason Prior in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
    19. "Jason Prior: Dartford sign former AFC Wimbledon striker". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
    22. "Games played by Jason Prior in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
    23. "Games played by Jason Prior in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
    24. "Games played by Jason Prior in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
    25. "Games played by Jason Prior in 2013/2014 for Gosport". Soccerway. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
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