Reece Cole

Cole began his youth career at Brentford and was a part of the U15 team which emerged victorious in the Junior category at the 2012 Milk Cup.[4] He made 8 appearances for the U18 team before signing a scholarship deal at the end of the 2013–14 season.[5][6][7] He made 32 appearances and scored seven goals during his two-year scholarship and increasingly became part of the Development Squad during the 2015–16 season,[8][9] progressing sufficiently to sign a professional contract in February 2016.[4] Cole was an unused substitute for a number of late-season first team matches in April 2016.[10]

Whilst a regular for the B team, Cole received sporadic calls into the first team squad during the 2016–17 season before making his senior debut as a late substitute for Nico Yennaris in a 3–2 victory over Nottingham Forest on 7 March 2017.[11] One month later, he signed a new three-year contract.[12] Cole won further attention with long-range goals in pre-season friendly wins over Aldershot Town and Oxford United in July 2017,[13][14] before departing on loan for the first half of the 2017–18 season on 10 August.[15] A knee injury cut short the loan in late September and he returned to match play with the B team in December,[16] but did not win any further calls into the first team squad before the end of the season.[17] Cole spent much of the 2018–19 and 2019–20 seasons away on loan and failed to make a first team appearance.[18][19][20][21]

On 10 August 2017, Cole joined League Two club Newport County on loan until January 2018.[15] He made his debut versus Coventry City 9 days later and scored the first senior goal of his career with the only goal of the game.[22] Cole made four further appearances and returned to Brentford in late September 2017 after suffering a knee injury,[23] though the loan officially continued until it expired on 1 January 2018.[16]

On 27 July 2018, Cole joined League Two club Yeovil Town on loan for the duration of the 2018–19 season.[24] He made two appearances before his loan was cancelled by mutual consent on 24 August 2018.[25]

On 23 November 2018, Cole joined National League club Maidenhead United on loan until 1 January 2019.[26] He made six appearances during his spell and scored on his debut,[3] with a free kick to salvage a 1–1 draw with Ebbsfleet United.[27]

On 18 January 2019, Cole joined League Two strugglers Macclesfield Town on loan until the end of the 2018–19 season.[18] He made 18 appearances during his spell and scored his only goal for the club with a "dramatic" late equaliser in a 3–3 draw with Cheshire rivals Crewe Alexandra on 9 February 2019.[19][28]

On 2 September 2019, Cole joined Scottish Championship club Partick Thistle on a loan until 31 December 2019,[29] which was later extended until the end of the 2019–20 season.[30] Four goals in a five-match spell and his performances during November 2019 saw him win the club's Player of the Month award.[21][31] By the time the season was ended prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[20] Cole had made 25 appearances and scored four goals.[21]