Boro’ gaffer Alex Revell continued to build for the future in June 2021 with the signature of Jake Reeves from Notts County. The midfielder came on board just 12 months after joining the Magpies; exercising a clause in his contract that’d let him depart if a Football League club came in for him. That club was us and the clause was enacted. And, for the player, it meant stepping back up from the National League. At the same time, we’d signed a lad whose “playing style fits our midfield profile, with his energy and intensity without the ball”.
Reeves grew in prominence during his time with us; described upon signing as having the “qualities we want in abundance”. His debut season may not have been a glowing success due to our on-field struggles. But there was no doubt that his contribution during our promotion-winning 2022-3 campaign was a significant one. It’s that in itself that makes it a surprise that, with his contract up for renegotiation in summer 2023, we found out that Reeves would be making tracks back to AFC Wimbledon; a club at which he’d been before.
Jake Reeves: Before Boro’
As mentioned, Reeves took a one-year sabbatical from the Football League in moving to Notts County in summer 2020. Before that, he’d amassed plenty of experience at this level; Bradford City his most recent League club at the time of his arrival. But his time at Valley Parade was an injury-affected one and the Bantams didn’t get to see the best of him in his three years there – not least when a reported £150,000 fee had been paid for his services.
Reeves’ career started at Tottenham Hotspur, before Brentford picked him up on a scholarship; bringing him from north to west London in 2009. After turning pro, the midfielder’s main source of game time came out on loan. First there was a spell down the road at St Albans City, which he then followed up with a brief spell at AFC Wimbledon. His opportunities were squeezed while at the Bees, however, and he moved to Swindon Town in 2014. But that didn’t last long either. It’d be five months in fact, as AFC Wimbledon moved in to sign him once more in January 2015.
