37 Facts About Josh McEachran

Joshua Mark McEachran was born on 1 March 1993 and is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL Championship club Oxford United.

Josh McEachran spent several years with Chelsea as a professional but played little, and spent time on loan at clubs to at home and abroad.

Josh McEachran moved on to Brentford in 2015, playing 90 league matches over four seasons, and spent 16 months with Birmingham City; both spells were disrupted by injury.

Josh McEachran describes his midfield style as "a holder and a passer, dictating play".

Josh McEachran joined the Blues' academy at the age of seven.

Josh McEachran broke into the reserve team and made 9 Premier Reserve League appearances.

Josh McEachran became the first player to be born after the Champions League began on 25 November 1992 to take part in the competition.

In recognition of his performances, Josh McEachran was awarded the Chelsea Young Player of The Year award on 19 May 2011.

On 15 July 2011, Josh McEachran signed a new five-year contract and scored his first senior goal for the club in the friendly 2011 Premier League Asia Trophy final versus Aston Villa two weeks later.

Josh McEachran made 22 appearances and scored no goals during five seasons as a senior player at Chelsea.

Josh McEachran became regular for Boro, creating a strong midfield partnership with Grant Leadbitter and playing on the left of midfield, though an ankle injury picked up on international duty hampered his progress in the second half of the season.

Josh McEachran made 38 appearances during a season in which Middlesbrough challenged for a playoff place, but drifted well out of contention.

Josh McEachran was voted by the Boro supporters as the club's Young Player of the Year.

Josh McEachran's debut came four days later with a start in the League Cup third round versus Norwich City, but he was substituted for Connor Smith on 38 minutes after suffering a back spasm.

Josh McEachran made just eight appearances for Watford before returning to Stamford Bridge when his initial loan expired.

The Manchester Evening News reported that he had taken a wage cut to go to the DW Stadium and manager Uwe Rosler commented that Josh McEachran was "not at his best, so we have to make sure he recovers form, he recovers confidence and he is capable of performing consistently at a high tempo in the modern way of football".

Josh McEachran started in the Latics' FA Cup quarter-final and semi-final matches versus Manchester City and Arsenal respectively, though his first Wembley appearance in the latter match ended after a shootout defeat.

Suspensions to Marko Vejinovic and Davy Propper opened up a spot in midfield and Josh McEachran made eight starts through to the end of the season.

Josh McEachran returned to match play one month later and alternated between a starting and a substitute role until the end of the season, which he finished with 28 appearances.

Josh McEachran reverted to a substitute role after Kamohelo Mokotjo's return from injury in early December after making 28 appearances during the season, he was dropped from the squad entirely in early April 2019.

Josh McEachran turned down a new contract and departed Griffin Park in June 2019.

Josh McEachran finished his Brentford career with 101 appearances and one goal.

On 27 September 2019, Josh McEachran signed a two-year contract with Championship club Birmingham City on a free transfer.

Josh McEachran made nine appearances, including six starts, over the next three months, but 12 minutes into his seventh start, on 4 February 2020, he damaged his cruciate ligament.

Josh McEachran joined Oxford United on 1 July 2023 upon the expiration of his MK Dons contract.

Josh McEachran went on to become captain of the team appeared in the 2008 event, but he missed the final two games of the tournament through injury.

Josh McEachran was named in the Technical Team of the Tournament.

Josh McEachran won a further four caps before his U19 career was cut short by England's failure to qualify for the tournament finals.

Josh McEachran was named in England's under-20 squad for the 2014 Toulon Tournament and made two appearances as England finished the tournament in fourth place.

Josh McEachran made his first competitive appearance for the team in England's opening 2013 European U21 Championship qualifier against Iceland on 6 October 2011, replacing Martyn Waghorn after 63 minutes, who had in turn replaced Delfouneso during the first half.

Josh McEachran was a member of the squad for the 2013 European Under-21 Championship finals, and made two appearances before England were eliminated in the group stage.

Josh McEachran was named in the 80-man shortlist for the Great Britain football team to play in the 2012 Olympic Games, but was not named in the final squad.

When Zidane retired in 2006, Josh McEachran looked up to Andres Iniesta.

Ray Wilkins and Stuart Pearce have commended on Josh McEachran's incisive passing, while Andre Villas-Boas and Brendan Rodgers have lauded his vision on the pitch and technical abilities, comparing him to Luka Modric, Jack Wilshere and Samir Nasri.

Peter Bosz commented in 2015 that Josh McEachran "needs to improve his defensive play", but "will certainly be a player at a good level".

Josh McEachran was born in Oxford and raised in Kirtlington, Oxfordshire; he attended Kirtlington Primary School and Marlborough School in Woodstock.

Since August 2016, Josh McEachran has been in a relationship with Lillie Lexie Gregg; the couple's first child, a son, was born in 2018.