Jason Puncheon

2.1. Childhood and early career

Born in Croydon, Greater London, on 18 June 1986, Jason Puncheon began his football journey with Wimbledon. He remained with the team during its relocation to Milton Keynes, where the club was rebranded as Milton Keynes Dons in 2004. Puncheon was released from the club in January 2006. Following this, he had brief spells with non-league clubs Fisher Athletic and Lewes before joining Barnet in June of the same year. During his time at Barnet, Puncheon gained recognition for his performances, being named the FA Cup Player of the Third Round in 2007. The following season, he continued to impress, scoring a series of notable goals, including a last-minute free kick from 35 yd against Bradford, which earned him a place in the PFA Team of the Year.

3.1. Plymouth Argyle

In 2008, Plymouth Argyle acquired Puncheon from Barnet for a transfer fee of 250.00 K GBP. His tenure at Plymouth Argyle was relatively short and largely unsuccessful, as he made only six league appearances over an 18-month period. During this time, he was loaned back to his former club, MK Dons, on three separate occasions within two years, where he found more success, scoring 12 goals in 61 appearances.

3.2. Southampton and loan spells

On 30 January 2010, Puncheon made a permanent move to Southampton, which led to the early termination of his loan spell at MK Dons. He quickly made an impact, scoring his first goal for the club in a dominant 5-1 victory over Walsall, followed by another goal just days later in a 5-0 win against Huddersfield. Despite his contributions, he was ineligible to play in Southampton's successful 2009-10 Football League Trophy campaign, as he was cup-tied.

At the beginning of the 2010-11 season, Puncheon was a regular starter for Southampton under manager Alan Pardew. However, following Pardew's departure and the appointment of Nigel Adkins, Puncheon's place in the first team came under pressure from the emerging young talent of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Adkins eventually opted for the 17-year-old Chamberlain due to Puncheon's inconsistent performances. On 16 November 2010, Puncheon moved to Millwall on an emergency loan deal. He scored on his debut for Millwall in their 1-0 win over Middlesbrough and notably netted a hat-trick in a 3-0 victory against Crystal Palace on 1 January 2011.

His loan spells continued when he joined Blackpool on 31 January 2011, remaining there until the end of the season. He scored on his Blackpool debut against Everton on 5 February and added another goal against Chelsea on 7 March. After Blackpool's relegation, Puncheon returned to Southampton. On 31 August 2011, he was again loaned out, this time to Queens Park Rangers until January 2012, though this spell was largely unsuccessful.

Upon his return to Southampton, Puncheon publicly criticized the club's executive chairman, Nicola Cortese, on 21 January 2012. However, he quickly issued an apology to Cortese and was subsequently made available for first-team selection, starting in the next two matches: a 1-1 draw against Millwall in the FA Cup and a 1-1 draw against Cardiff City in the Championship.

The 2012-13 season saw Puncheon score his first goal with a 30 yd volley in a League Cup victory over Stevenage. He netted his first Premier League goal for Southampton in a 4-1 home win against Aston Villa. His second came in a 3-1 away victory over Queens Park Rangers. A crucial third Premier League goal in the 61st minute against Reading secured a vital 1-0 win for Southampton, moving them out of the relegation zone. His fourth goal helped Southampton secure a 2-2 draw away to then-European champions Chelsea. On 9 February 2013, he scored his fifth Premier League goal in Southampton's 3-1 home win against Manchester City, the 2011-12 champions. On 1 March 2013, Puncheon signed a new contract with Southampton, extending his stay until 2016.

3.3. Crystal Palace and loan to Huddersfield

On 21 August 2013, Puncheon joined Crystal Palace on a one-year loan deal. While he missed a penalty in a 2-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur on 11 January 2014, he quickly redeemed himself by scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win against Stoke City the following weekend. His loan move was made permanent on 31 January 2014, with Crystal Palace acquiring him for a fee of approximately 1.75 M GBP. Puncheon's impactful performances, including three goals in January and another three in crucial back-to-back victories in April that helped lift Palace out of the relegation zone, prompted manager Tony Pulis to issue a "hands off" warning to other interested clubs.

In the opening match of the 2014-15 season on 16 August 2014, away to Arsenal, Puncheon's corner kick led to Brede Hangeland's opening goal. However, he was sent off in the 89th minute after receiving a second booking, shortly before Arsenal scored their winning goal. On 17 January 2015, Puncheon scored his third goal of the season, and second in as many games, against Burnley in a 3-2 away win, a match where Crystal Palace rallied from a two-goal deficit. His manager, Alan Pardew, lauded his performance, describing him as "the best player on the pitch by a country mile."

On 6 April 2015, Puncheon scored the decisive goal for Crystal Palace against Manchester City, a free-kick that evaded goalkeeper Joe Hart. He also opened the scoring in the 2016 FA Cup Final against Manchester United in the 78th minute, though Palace ultimately lost the match 2-1 after extra time.

On 18 July 2017, Puncheon was appointed captain, replacing Scott Dann. In January 2018, manager Roy Hodgson confirmed that Puncheon would miss the remainder of the 2017-18 season due to a cruciate ligament injury sustained during a match against Manchester City. Puncheon ultimately departed Crystal Palace in May 2019 at the conclusion of the 2018-19 season, having made 169 appearances and scored 16 goals for the club.

Prior to his departure from Crystal Palace, Puncheon signed a loan deal with fellow Premier League club Huddersfield Town on 4 January 2019, staying until the end of the season.

3.4. Later career in Cyprus

In August 2019, Jason Puncheon moved to Cypriot football, joining Cypriot First Division side Pafos. He spent three seasons with the club before moving to Anorthosis Famagusta, where he played for one season (2022-23) before initially retiring from professional football. After a year focusing on management, Puncheon made a brief return to playing in the 2024-25 season with Kissos Kissonergas in Cypriot regional football.

4.1. Peyia 2014

Puncheon began his managerial journey as the head coach of Cypriot Second Division club Peyia 2014 ahead of the 2023-24 season. His first managerial role lasted until the end of January in his inaugural season. Under his leadership, Peyia 2014 played 18 games, securing 8 wins, 3 draws, and 7 losses, with 25 goals scored and 18 conceded.

4.2. AEZ Zakakiou

On 10 February 2024, Puncheon was appointed head coach of AEZ Zakakiou, a club in the Cypriot First Division. However, his tenure was brief, lasting less than one month. He was dismissed after failing to secure a single win in his first seven games, with the team registering 0 wins, 2 draws, and 5 losses, scoring 4 goals and conceding 11.

4.3. Ayia Napa

On 29 October 2024, Puncheon took over as manager of Ayia Napa, signing a contract that extended until the end of the season. His time at Ayia Napa was short but successful, as he won both of his games in charge with no goals conceded. Despite this perfect record, it was announced on 19 November that his contract had been mutually terminated.

4.4. Akritas Chlorakas

The day after his departure from Ayia Napa, on 20 November 2024, Puncheon was appointed as the head coach of Akritas Chlorakas. He currently continues in this role, having overseen 13 matches with a record of 10 wins, 0 draws, and 3 losses, scoring 20 goals and conceding 9.

5.1. Background

Jason Puncheon has Jamaican descent, making him eligible to represent the Jamaica national football team internationally.

5.2. Legal issues

In December 2017, Jason Puncheon faced legal challenges when he was arrested and subsequently charged with possession of an offensive weapon, common assault, and a public order offence of "causing fear or provocation of violence." These charges stemmed from an altercation outside a nightclub in Reigate. On 5 January 2018, Puncheon appeared in court, where he denied the assault charge. The charge of possessing an offensive weapon was withdrawn at this time, and he was released on bail, scheduled to reappear in court on 4 June. He later changed his plea to guilty for the assault charge. The court issued a community order, requiring him to complete 210 hours of unpaid work and pay 250 GBP in compensation to the doorman involved in the incident.