Janoi Donacien

Janoi Denzil Naieme Donacien (born 3 November 1993) is a Saint Lucian professional footballer who plays as a defender for Ipswich Town. Usually a centre back, he is also capable of playing at right back, left back and wing back.

He previously played for the academy sides of Luton Town and briefly Tottenham Hotspur before joining the Aston Villa Academy for six years. He was loaned from Aston Villa to Tranmere Rovers and Wycombe Wanderers and spent the majority of the 2015–16 season on loan at Newport County in League Two before joining Accrington Stanley on a permanent deal in 2016. He spent time on loan at Ipswich Town, before signing for them on a permanent deal in 2019.

Club Career

Early career

Donacien moved to the United Kingdom from St. Lucia with his family in 2001 and played youth football for Luton Town. He also spent a brief spell at Tottenham Hotspur, representing the club in the 2010 Milk Cup, prior to joining the Aston Villa Academy in 2010.

Aston Villa

Donacien represented Villa in youth, reserves and NextGen Series competitions. He was a member of Villa's NextGen Series-winning team during the 2012–13 season. Donacien played his first games for the senior team during the pre-season ahead of the 2013–14 Premier League season, making his non-competitive debut against Wycombe Wanderers on 22 July 2013. Donacien was awarded a place in the first team squad and the squad number 32, he went on to be named on the first team's bench twice during the 2013–14 season, once in the Premier League against Sunderland and once in the FA Cup against Sheffield United.

Tranmere Rovers (loan)

Donacien was loaned to Tranmere Rovers in August 2014 and made his professional debut in a 2–1 home win against Morecambe on 30 August 2014. He turned out regularly at both centre back and right wing back for Tranmere over the season with a brief spell back at Villa Park after the January transfer window, the sid