Ex-Bradford City and Accrington Stanley player charged with attempted murder | OneFootball

A former Accrington Stanley and Bradford City player has been charged with attempted murder and is set for a trial at St Helens Adult Remand Court...

Bradford City and Accrington have had a change in fortunes on the pitch in recent seasons, but the pair also share some former players as well.

After five seasons in League Two, Bradford City were promoted in third in dramatic circumstances in 2024/25. This season, the Bantams have been inside the play-offs for all but one matchday and are well-placed for back-to-back promotions.

Accrington Stanley, meanwhile, spent five seasons in League One recently. They were relegated in 2023 and have had mid-table finishes in League Two since. Their ability to punch above their weight ahead of clubs of Bradford's size has been most impressive.

One player who has a history with both clubs over the last 15 years is Paddy Lacey.

He has had a footballing journey which has been a rollercoaster of early promise and tough setbacks. In fact, the Liverpool-born midfielder came through several youth systems before finding his feet.

Former Man United and Bradford player Paddy Lacey arrested

Lacey was in Manchester United’s academy for a short spell as a youngster before moving on to Liverpool’s youth ranks and later Sheffield Wednesday. In July 2011, Lacey signed his first professional contract with Bradford City in League Two.

During his year at Valley Parade, he struggled to break into the first-team and spent time on loan at Southport and Vauxhall Motors before departing by mutual consent in January 2012 without a senior league appearance. After several years in non-league football, his career took a significant step when he joined Accrington on a one-year deal in July 2016.

Lacey made 11 league appearances for Stanley in League Two and scored his first goal for the club in a 1-0 win over Portsmouth. However, his time at the Wham Stadium ended controversially when his contract was terminated in May 2017 following a 14-month Football Association ban for breaching anti-doping rules.

Despite the challenges, the former Bradford player continued to play at non-league level with clubs including Barrow, Southport, and Chester after his spell in the Football League. However, he has more recently changed his career to boxing.

Lacey holds a 10-0 record as a boxer between 2021 and 2023. However, he was among four men arrested on Thursday, February 19. Per The Sun, Lacey has been charged with attempted murder after a man was left fighting for life in a driveway shooting.

Paddy Lacey's younger siblings include Man United's Shea Lacey

Three other men – John Aaron Jones (35), John George Patrick Hughes (31), and Bernard Flynn (61) – are charged with the same alleged offences. All four will appear at Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton and St Helens Adult Remand Court on Friday.

Lacey has two other siblings in football, with Luis Lacey (21) playing for Macclesfield Town and taking part in their FA Cup journey this season. However, his other brother is perhaps the more famous of the trio.

The 18-year-old Shea Lacey has broken into the Man United first-team this season. He has three appearances, having come off the bench in two Premier League games against Aston Villa and Burnley, and another against Brighton in the 2-1 FA Cup defeat.

The younger pair look likely to have the best footballing careers, with Paddy turning to boxing at the age of 28. Now, it seems his life has taken another twist and a more unfortunate turn.