Finley Tapp (born 9 November 1999) is an English television personality and semi-professional footballer who most recently played for Banbury United.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Finley Tapp[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 9 November 1999[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Milton Keynes, England[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2008–2016 | Milton Keynes Dons | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2016–2019 | Milton Keynes Dons | 0 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | → Staines Town (loan) | 9 | (2) |
| 2019–2020 | Oxford City | 20 | (1) |
| 2023 | Banbury United | 3 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:35, 27 November 2023 (UTC) | |||
In 2020, Tapp won the sixth series of the ITV2 reality series Love Island. Prior to appearing on the show, Tapp was a semi-professional football player for non-league club Oxford City, having previously played as a professional for Milton Keynes Dons.[3] He returned to football in 2023 with Banbury United.
Club career
editMilton Keynes Dons
editTapp joined Milton Keynes Dons' academy at the age of 8,[4] progressing through various age groups and into the club's development squad. On 10 November 2016, whilst still an academy player, Tapp was named as a substitute for the first team's EFL Trophy group stage fixture against Norwich City. After coming on as a 76th-minute substitute, Tapp scored in the 84th-minute in an eventual 4–1 defeat.[5]
Tapp signed professional terms with the club on 17 May 2018, signing a one-year deal with an option of a further year.[4] He made his professional debut for the club on 28 August 2018, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 3–0 EFL Cup second round defeat away to Premier League side Bournemouth.[6] Following limited first team opportunities during the first half of the 2018–19 season, Tapp joined seventh-tier club Staines Town until January 2019. Tapp was later one of ten players released by Milton Keynes Dons at the end of the season.[7]
Oxford City
editOn 19 July 2019, following a successful trial, Tapp joined National League South club Oxford City.[8]
Banbury United
editIn July 2023, Tapp returned to football when he joined National League North club Banbury United, reuniting with manager Mark Jones whom he had played under at Oxford City.[9] He departed the club in November 2023.[10]
Media career
editLove Island
editIn January 2020, it was announced that Tapp would join the sixth series of ITV2 dating programme Love Island, the first series to feature a winter villa, located in Cape Town, South Africa. Tapp entered the villa on Day 5.[11]
On 23 February 2020, Tapp along with fellow participant Paige Turley were voted the show's winning couple by the UK public and shared a £50,000 prize.[12] Tapp contested the show without permission from Oxford City, which the club's commercial director said though there was no formal breach of contract, but to avoid such situations, the club will introduce formal clauses inhibiting appearances on TV shows for players in future contract forms.[13]
Celebrity Coach Trip
editIn January 2022, Tapp alongside partner Paige Turley featured in the seventh series of E4's Celebrity Coach Trip.[14]
Personal life
editTapp was in a relationship with Paige Turley, whom he met during the sixth series of Love Island, from 2020 to 2023.[15][16][17]
Career statistics
edit- As of matches played 21 November 2023
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Milton Keynes Dons | 2016–17[18] | League One | — | — | — | 1[a] | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 2018–19[19] | League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | ||
| Staines Town (loan) | 2018–19[18] | Southern Premier South | 9 | 2 | — | — | — | 9 | 2 | |||
| Oxford City | 2019–20[18] | National League South | 20 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 22 | 1 | |
| Banbury United | 2023–24[18] | National League North | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| Career total | 32 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 39 | 4 | ||
- ^ a b Appearances in EFL Trophy.
References
edit- ^ a b "Retained List 2017–18" (PDF). English Football League. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
- ^ "Finn Tapp". 11v11. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
- ^ "Finn Tapp's football career: from Oxford City to MK Dons – how the new Love Island 2020 footballer has fared". inews.co.uk. 16 January 2020. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
- ^ a b "Tapp turns pro". Milton Keynes Dons. 17 May 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
- ^ "Report: Norwich City 4–1 MK Dons". Milton Keynes Dons. 10 November 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
- ^ "Bournemouth 3–0 Milton Keynes Dons". BBC Sport. 28 August 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
- ^ "MK Dons retained list". Milton Keynes Dons. 17 May 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
- ^ "Tapp Joins the Hoops". Oxford City. 19 July 2019. Archived from the original on 21 July 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
- ^ "Jones Tapp's up Finn for Reunion". www.banburyunitedfc.co.uk. 23 July 2023. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
- ^ "Defender Charlie Waller joins on loan from MK Dons". www.banburyunitedfc.co.uk. 25 November 2023. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
- ^ "New Love Island contestant Finn Tapp is Oxford City footballer". Oxford Mail. 16 January 2020. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
- ^ "Paige Turley and Finn Tapp crowned Love Island winners as show pays tribute to Caroline Flack". ITV. 23 February 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
- ^ "Love Island winner Finn Tapp expected back by Oxford City". BBC News. 24 February 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
- ^ "Paige Turley and Finn Tapp vow to get fit after gaining weight during pandemic". OK!. 20 January 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
- ^ "Love Island winner Paige Turley has confirmed split from Finn Tapp". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
- ^ "Finley asks Paige to be his girlfriend". Love Island Series 6. YouTube. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
- ^ McStay, Kirsten (8 February 2021). "Love Island Scot Paige Turley and Finn Tapp celebrate one year anniversary". Daily Record. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
- ^ a b c d "F. Tapp". Soccerway. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
- ^ "Games played by Finn Tapp in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 January 2019.