Christian Jolley

DOB: 12th May 1988

Position: Striker

Season of first appearance: 2015/16

Season of last appearance: 2015/16

Full Appearances: 18

Substitute: 19

Goals: 2

Also played for:

Kingstonian, AFC Wimbledon, Newport County, Forest Green Rovers, Grimsby Town, Hampton & Richmond Borough, Woking, Leatherhead, Hanworth Villa, England C

Player Profile:

Born in Fleet, Hampshire, Christian was given a trial by Kingstonian in September 2009 which led to him signing a contract with the club in December 2009. He immediately broke into the first-team which reached the Isthmian Premier play-off final that season.

After impressing at Kingstonian, Christian was signed by Conference Premier side AFC Wimbledon in May 2010. He scored on his debut at Southport on the first day of the 2010-11 season. He was an unused substitute in the Dons’ play-off final victory over Luton Town at the City of Manchester Stadium on 21.5.11.

In July 2011, he signed a new contract and, on 29.7.11, started for the Dons in their first ever League Cup match, a 3-2 defeat at Crawley Town.

In November 2012, he joined Conference Premier side Newport County on loan. He was recalled by AFC Wimbledon the following month but, in January 2013, returned to Newport County on a permanent deal for an undisclosed fee. 

In the 2012-13 season, he was part of the Newport team that won promotion via the Conference Premier play-offs. Christian scored in the play-off final on 5.5.13 versus Wrexham at Wembley, which Newport won 2-0 in front of 36,346. He was named in the 2012-13 Conference Premier team of the year.

On 5.2.13, Christian came on as a sub for the England C team in a 1-0 defeat against Turkey U23 at Dartford.

In September 2014, Christian joined Forest Green Rovers on loan. He returned to Newport but, in January 2015, his contract was terminated by mutual consent. He then signed for Conference Premier side Grimsby Town until the end of the season.

In summer 2015, Christian signed for Margate, being reunited with his manager at Wimbledon, Terry Brown.

However, Christian struggled for goals and, by November, had still not broken his duck for the club. He told Kent Online: "It will come, I can't fight it anymore, but when it does come, I am not planning anything special to celebrate. I will probably be shocked that it went in."

It wasn't until January 2016 that he scored, in a 3-2 win at home to Maidenhead on 9.1.16. He scored once more during the season, in a 4-1 defeat at Sutton United on 27.2.16.

After being released by Margate at the end of the campaign, Christian was reunited with former Kingstonian manager Alan Dowson at Hampton & Richmond Borough. He made a quick return to Hartsdown to play for Hampton in a National League South match on 16.8.16, and he scored for the visitors as they won 4-2.

After two years at Hampton, he moved to fellow National League South side Woking along with Dowson.

Early in his time at Woking, Christian sustained an ankle injury. To gain match fitness, he joined Leatherhead on a dual-registration basis before returning to Woking and played in their 1-0 FA Cup Second Round win at League Two Swindon Town on 2.12.18. He also played in the Third Round tie at home to Premier League Watford on 6.1.19 that Woking lost 2-0. Another former Margate player, Ben Gerring, also played for Woking that day.

At the end of the 2018-19 campaign, Christian announced his retirement from football with a view to going into coaching. He was named as assistant to Dartford manager Alan Dowson in June 2022.

However, he resumed playing in 2024-25 to join Isthmian South Central club Hanworth Villa.