Tariq Ahmed Issa (born 2 September 1997) is an English

footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby le ...

who plays as a

forward Forward is a relative direction, the opposite of backward. Forward may also refer to: People * Forward (surname) Sports * Forward (association football) * Forward (basketball), including: ** Point forward ** Power forward (basketball) ** Sm ...

for

Needham Market Needham Market is a town in Suffolk, England. The town of Needham, Massachusetts, was named after Needham Market. History It initially grew around the wool combing industry, until the onset of the plague, which swept the town from 1663 to 1665. ...

. Issa joined Colchester United's Academy at the age of 12 from Trinity Football Club based in Southend-on-Sea. He made his professional debut for the club in 2016. In August 2018, he joined

on loan. He also had a loan spell at Maldon & Tiptree in 2019. He was released by Colchester in July 2020. Issa rejoined Needham on a permanent basis in 2021.

Career

Issa joined the Colchester United Academy at the age of 12 from Trinity Football Club in Southend-on-Sea. He broke into Colchester's under-18 side while still an under-16 player, and was the first Colchester Academy player to come through the educational system associated with

Thurstable School Thurstable School is a mixed (ages 11–18) secondary academy school, sports college and sixth form situated in the village of Tiptree, Essex, England. The school is about 8 miles south of Colchester. Controversy Thurstable gained some notoriet ...

in Tiptree. He and teammate

Cameron James Cameron Lewis James (born 11 February 1998) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender or midfielder for Chelmsford City. James joined Colchester United's Academy at the age of nine, progressing through the age groups to ma ...

signed four-year contracts with the club in July 2015, before agreeing a new four-year deal in July 2016. Issa made his first-team debut in the

EFL Trophy The English Football League Trophy, known for sponsorship purposes as the Papa Johns Trophy after restaurant chain Papa John's Pizza, is an annual English association football knockout competition open to all clubs in EFL League One and EFL Le ...

on 4 October 2016, replacing

Dion Sembie-Ferris Dion Leonard Sembie-Ferris (born 23 May 1996) is an English footballer as a winger. Sembie-Ferris began his footballing career with Peterborough United at the age of nine, but was released in 2008, moving to Peterborough Junior Alliance side N ...

at half-time in Colchester's 2–1 defeat to Southampton U23. He made his English Football League debut on 19 August 2017 as a substitute for Drey Wright in Colchester's 3–0 defeat against Luton Town. On 30 August 2018, Issa signed for Southern League Premier Division Central side

on loan until January 2019. He made his debut on 1 September as a half-time substitute in Needham's 3–0 defeat at Alvechurch. In August and September 2019, Issa made seven appearances on loan for

Isthmian League The Isthmian League () is a regional men's football league covering Greater London, East and South East England, featuring mostly semi-professional clubs. Founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area, the league now consists of 82 tea ...

North Division side Maldon & Tiptree. However, in October 2019 it was reported he had suffered a knee injury that would require surgery. Issa was one of 16 players to be released by Colchester United in summer 2020. In July 2021, Issa signed for Needham Market on a permanent basis.

Career statistics

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Issa, Tariq 1997 births Living people English men's footballers Men's association football forwards Colchester United F.C. players Needham Market F.C. players Maldon & Tiptree F.C. players English Football League players Southern Football League players Isthmian League players Place of birth missing (living people)