Reuben Noble-Lazarus

Reuben Courtney Noble-Lazarus (born 16 August 1993) is an English-born Grenadian professional footballer who plays as a striker or winger for Rochdale. On 30 September 2008, he became the youngest player to debut in the English Football League, at 15 years and 45 days old, breaking the record previously established by Albert Geldard in 1929.

In 2013–2014, Noble-Lazarus spent time on loan at Scunthorpe United from Barnsley. In 2014, Noble-Lazarus moved to Rochdale on loan until January 2015, but made a permanent transfer to them at the end of his loan spell for an undisclosed fee.

Club career

Barnsley

Noble-Lazarus was born in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. He came on as a substitute during Barnsley's 3–0 Championship defeat by Ipswich Town.

The previous weekend, Noble-Lazarus had scored a hat-trick for the Barnsley under-18 team, for whom he had played since he was 12 years old, and was selected as a substitute for the senior team's visit to Portman Road. Coming on in the 84th minute of the match to replace Martin Devaney, Noble-Lazarus surpassed the record set by Bradford Park Avenue's Albert Geldard in September 1929, and equalled by Welshman Ken Roberts for Wrexham F.C. in 1951, by 113 days. He was too young to be paid for his appearance – Barnsley manager Simon Davey joked he would be given pizza and a ham sandwich for his efforts – and was due to return to Newsome High School in Huddersfield the following day.