Once Labelled a Football Outcast: The Djed Spence Story

Djed Spence’s journey into professional football has been very far from easy. This is the story of a footballer once labelled a Middlesbrough FC outcast. Despite his undeniable talent, Spence was seen as an occasionally disruptive influence. The club had no qualms about pushing him out on loan, deciding not to recall him to avoid having an unhappy player in their midst. Little did Middlesbrough know that this so-called outcast would rise to become one of England’s hottest right-backs.

This article allows you to step into the world of Djed Spence, a rising footballer whose path to prominence is a testament to resilience, talent, and the power of family. Raised by his mother, Aisha, and father, Simon Spence, Djed’s story is not just about his rise in the footballing world but also his personal journey. This account delves into Spence’s heritage, exploring the cultural and familial roots that have shaped him into the player and person he is today.

Beyond the field, we take a closer look at Djed’s values, beliefs, and the diverse influences that have guided him through life’s challenges and triumphs. Join us as we reveal the narrative of Djed Spence, a player whose story inspires both on and off the pitch. Additionally, we will explore his net worth, lifestyle, personal life, and salary breakdown of the Croydon-born Speedy Athlete.

Preamble:

Djed’s story is one of a London-born star raised by a football-loving mother and a father, Simon Spence, who is hailed as the best dad in the world. His journey is also shared with his siblings, including a celebrity sister, Karla-Simone Spence. Before the football world got to know Spence, his mum, Aisha, was already famous for her unique way of supporting her son during his matches. Djed Spence’s sister, Karla-Simone Spence, gained global recognition for her acting talent and captivating beauty.

As seen above, Karla-Simone Spence is one of the most talented and rapidly rising actresses in the world. Our version of Djed Spence’s biography begins with notable events from his early life and highlights the pivotal role his mother, Aisha, played in establishing a strong foundation for his career. It then delves into his challenging early professional years with Middlesbrough and how he overcame adversity to achieve fame.

We aim to spark your interest as you read Djed Spence’s biography. To start, let’s take a look at a photo gallery showcasing Djed’s journey from his boyhood days to his remarkable rise. From his childhood to the moment he started earning accolades, Spence has truly come a long way.

In the realm of England’s full-backs, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen a player quite like Djed Spence. He is an athlete who captivates fans with his technique, speed, and acceleration. Full-backs don’t usually dominate headlines, but this London star certainly does.

Despite his remarkable rise, there is a noticeable gap in the public’s knowledge of his story. We discovered that many soccer fans haven’t had the chance to read an in-depth version of Djed Spence’s biography. To fill this gap, we’ve crafted this compelling bio. So, without further ado, let’s begin.

Djed Spence Childhood Story:

For beginners of his Biography, he bears the nickname “the Jet”. His Full names are Diop Tehuti Djed-Hotep Spence. Djed was born on the 9th day of August 2000 to his Mother, Aisha Spence and Father, Simon Spence, in the city of London, England. Now, let’s introduce you to Djed’s highly supportive parents at the graduation of one of his sisters, Sabriyya Spence, who earned a degree in Psychology.

So far as research can tell, Djed is the last born of the Spence family. He is one among four children himself and three females, including Sabriyya Spence, born to his parents Aisha and Simon Spence. Football is a thrilling sport which both players and fans enjoy. Djed Spence’s mother (as pictured here) is a true definition of someone with a passion for football.

Growing Up Years:

We all have one person we play with, chat with, and throw tantrums at while growing up. For Djed, the thrills of childhood were never enjoyed alone.

He always had his lovely sister, Karla-Simone Spence, by his side. You see these two?… they (Djed and Karla) never get old at reflecting back on their early childhood years.

The most popular among the Athlete’s siblings is Karla-Simone Spence. Djed Spence has other siblings apart from Karla-Simone Spence, and they are not the only children of their parents.

Together with his siblings, Djed Spence grew up in Croydon, South London. His childhood family home is very close to the BRIT School, situated in the famous London Borough of Croydon, England.

Djed Spence Family Background:

Starting off, it is pertinent to note that Djed’s biological father, Simon Spence, has always been at the forefront of his upbringing, as evidenced in the photo below. The Great Dad, Simon Spence, is a Peak performance Coach and Nutritional thinkologist. Djed comes from a household with a strong support network, whose foundation was laid down by the head of the family, Simon.

Djed’s mom and dad have a unique and respectful relationship despite not being together. From the age of 4, Djed had a fascination with small bouncing balls. His dad would stop and buy everyone from those little vendor machines. Djed stood out as a player from a very young age, obsessed with anything round.

At 5, he played for a team and scored all 4 goals in the first half. To balance the game, they put Djed on the other team, and he scored five more goals, ending up with all nine goals. His pace was remarkable. From that moment, little Djed has not let the ball out of his sight. This was the foundation of his football career, laid down by his biological dad, Simon, a great dad who deserves all the praise.

His Mum, Aisha Spence, is the most popular (publicly) among Djed’s parents. Since his early days, she has played a prominent role in the affairs of the family. Djed Spence’s Dad is not with his mother. Aisha Spense is married to his stepdad, Martin West.

Family Origin:

By virtue of being born in London, the wing-back holds British nationality. Djed Spence’s Family is from South East London.

While digging further into the player’s ancestry, we found facts. That one of Djed Spense’s parents (his Dad) has Jamaica family roots.

Ethnicity:

We trace the London-born footballer to two ethnographic divisions. Owing to his Jamaican family origins, Djed can call himself a British Jamaican.

Secondly, Spense belongs to the Black British multi-ethnic group. This is because he has African-Caribbean family roots.

Djed Spence Education:

Aisha ensured she sent her three girls, including Karla-Simone who is an actress, to school. Djed Spense had his early education in close the BRIT School.

This institution is famous for its performing arts teaching, near Croydon, South London. It is close to where Djed Spence’s parents raised him. A stone’s throw from Selhurst Park, home of Crystal Palace.

Because of his football, Aisha played a prominent role in spurring on the youngest of her four children. In terms of doing his homework and playing football, Djed benefitted from strong motherly support.

Career Buildup:

On one beautiful day, Aisha Spence took Djed to a neighbouring Junior Elite Football club. She had hopes that her son would join their under-9s. While there, she noticed a match was being played.

Aisha waited for the match to finish before chasing one of the coaches. Approaching the coach, Djed Spence’s Mum grabbed his hands and asked if her son should join.

Luckily for Aisha, her actions yielded results, and the request was granted. Even thou Djed Spence’s parents weren’t footballers, he had in him, that natural ability. Especially the natural ability that made him very fast on the ball.

Although, the youngster still worked on his stamina with his coaches and mum pushing him daily. Did you know?… Djed joined a team that included Arsenal’s Emile Smith Rowe. Also, he played alongside Manchester United’s Di’Shon Bernard.

In this photo, you’ll find a young Smith-Rowe and Spence. Djed Spence and Emile Smith Rowe grew up together and both began playing for the same team.

Colin Omogbehin, the founder of Junior Elite helped laid Djed’s solid career foundation. He never forgets the influence and passion of Djed Spence’s Mum, Aisha.

Colin Omogbehin describes her as the driving force of his career. Without Aisha Spence, the superstar son won’t be where he is today.

Djed Spence Biography – Untold Football Story:

The competition at Junior Elite was tough. Luckily for Djed Spence Family, their house was near a field. So, Aisha, his Mum would regularly take Djed for extra training sessions.

Even at night, she would do an extra bit of training with her son. Soon, Djed got better, and that helped earned him a transfer to Fulham’s academy.

Research has it that Spence was one of the last in his age group to leave Junior Elite. Colin Omogbehin was the one who took him for a trial at Fulham, the west London club.

Following a successful Fulham trial, Dejd Spence was signed on a two-year registration as a schoolboy.

Life with Fulham:

While with the club, Djed played against top teams like Everton and Chelsea. People praise him for dominating players likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi. Djed’s Fulham, which had the likes of Harvey Eliott and Fabio Carvalho, was very successful.

They won the Nationals in 2015 against a Man City that boasted of having Jadon Sancho and Phil Foden in their ranks.

Sadly, being good wasn’t enough for Djed Spence to earn him a contract with Fulham. The club had strong competition at right-back.

The likes of Marlon Fossey and Steven and Ryan Sessegnon were above him in their selection order. Having a lack of game saw Djed struggling in the first scholarship year.

Observing that was struggling, Aisha acted quickly. Djed Spence’s mother understood it was best for her son to go elsewhere.

Note that this doesn’t mean her boy, Djed, was a failure. His Mum (Aisha) wanted him to go to another club so he could reclaim a starting spot in his role.

Road to Fame Story:

The Athlete’s journey into professional football was very far from easy. Middlesbrough, his next club, painted a picture of him as someone with a disruptive influence.

So much so that, despite Spence’s obvious ability, they had no qualms about sending him out on loan.

Spence was further labelled as an outcast at Middlesbrough. Because the club didn’t like his character, they decided not to recall him from his loan. Actually, Middlesbrough feared having an unhappy player on their hands can poison the minds of others.

Note, Djed was very good with them. Under then, he once won the EFL Young Player of the Month (December 2019).

To make matters worst, some persons behind the scenes favoured his loan punishment. They were ok with Neil Warnock’s decision on Spence. They felt that pushing him out was the best course of action, even though he has potential.

What was Djed’s offence?… Research has it that there were many behavioural incidents. Boro made up their mind to eject him, particularly because of an electric scooter accident. His actions made Warnock (his coach) become so frustrated. In the manager’s words;

“I let him go because he needed to figure things out for himself. As he was leaving, I told him he had a choice: he could either make it to the top or end up in non-league football.”

Neil Warnock said the above to TalkSports sports radio about Djed’s Boro ejection.

Djed Spence Biography – Rise to Fame Story:

The decision he made in September 2021 (joining Nottingham Forest) changed his life. He joined a club that brought dame to the likes of Roy Keane, a Rising Dean Henderson, etc.

While Djed didn’t find a niche for himself in Boro’s dressing room, he found joy with Forests.

Every day, a group of Forest young players will gather to have breakfast before training. While they gather, they often socialise together. Thanks to that, Spence, Johnson, Alex Mighten, and Keinan Davis became best friends.

Also, he, alongside James Garner, Loic Mbe Soh, and Jonathan Panzo, formed a tight bond. Next, Djed Spence began destroying his opponents on the pitch.

The Wing-Back didn’t just play well against Premier League teams in the 2022 FA Cup. Djed actually hurt them, especially Arsenal.

In that match, he made Forest fans to be at the edge of their seats. Djed’s FA Cup game against Arsenal drew sky-high praise from the Club’s Legend, Ian Wright. There was a time he once pocketed Gabriel Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah.

After the above FA Cup match (which Forest won), Djed became a Gunners target. Again, against Leicester, Spence was also fast as lightning and strong as an ox. He dribbled like Dani Alves, the Brazilian, helping Forest trash Leicester by four goals to one.

Helping secure Forest promotion:

The boy who dumped Arsenal and Leicester City out of the FA Cup kept soaring higher.  Djed began winning more hearts with his unbelievable displays.

More importantly, the London boy played a vital role in Forest’s EPL promotion-winning. Djed always loves to be at the centre of these kinds of parties.

These days, Full-backs (unlike strikers) do not get many headlines in English football. Djed grabs them by the handful. In his first season with Forest, Djed won 5 accolades.

First is the EFL play-offs trophy and him being a member of the EFL team of the season. He also won the EFL Championship Goal and the Best Young Player of the League award.

A bright future ahead:

No doubt, he is a unique young boy who is extremely talented. Djed has proven that it does raise your game when you’re loved by the manager, club and fans.

He feels wonderful, and he is a man who is in a happy place. There is a glimmer of hope he can drag Forest to stay in the promised land. With him, Forest can avoid premier league relegation.

In March 2022, the Forest star earned a first call-up to the England Under-21 squad.

Because Djed Spence’s parents are of Jamaican family origins, there is a possibility he might switch national teams. In fact, we understand Jamaica is courting him as I write this biography.

Again, it is possible to see him playing for England, even in that unbelievably competitive position. A position dominated by the likes of Reece James, Man City’s Kyle Walker, Liverpool’s Trent Alexander Arnold, etc.

Also fighting for it are Kieran Trippier, Kyle-Walker Peters and James Justin. Truth is, it is entirely up to Djed to determine how far he wants to go.

Truth is, there is a good chance that he may never put on a Middlesbrough shirt again. This is because the flying wing-back dominates the 2022/2023 summer transfer window.

He has the likes of Arsenal, Spurs (via the guardian football), Liverpool, Spanish and German clubs begging for his signature. The rest of Djed Spence’s Biography, as we say, is now history.

Love Life:

By making a name for himself at 21, Djed is on his way to becoming successful. There is this saying that behind every successful British Jamaican footballer comes a WAG. To this end, we asks the ultimate question;

Who is Djed Spence’s Girlfriend?

A biographical inquiry into knowing Djed Spence’s wife-to-be.

Aisha and also Djed Spence’s sister (Karla-Simone) have probably advised he stays single. At least, for this crucial stage of his young and burgeoning career.

A look at Djed Spence’s Instagram does not reveal any trace of his girlfriend or wife-to-be. We believe he would reveal details about his relationship life when he settles well in his career.

Personal Life:

Because of this photo of Djed Spence smoking a cigarette, fans began a quest to know him more.

One thing is for sure, Djed loves to adopt the Pep Guardiola cigar style of celebrating trophies. This section of Djed Spence Biography tells you facts about his personality.

Who is Djed Spence?Ask the staff OR players at Nottingham Forest what they think about Spence. The answers you’ll receive are only positive. Djed’s time keeping is the only bad thing you’ll hear.

He is like Vincent Aboubakar, a latecomer in his early career years. Djed is a guy who responds better to the carrot, rather than the stick. Put simply, the Baller reacts positively to praises.

Again, Djed is a very likeable character, and you can easily get very fond of him. He is a sensible lad who is relaxed, easy-going, humble, and respectful.

When you hear Djed speak, you’ll realize he is someone who shows consideration for the needs of other people.

Spence is like many young players like Anthony Gordon and Brandon Williams, etc. He is of the belief that there are things he has to improve on.

Again, he is the type who spends lots of time learning together with his good friend, Brennan Johnson. They push, help each other and enjoy growing together.

Djed is the kind of person who does not think about what just happened. Rather, the Wing-back constantly reminds himself about what is next.

Within the Nottingham forest team, he looks up to Gaetan Bong as his role model. This footballer has a positive influence on the younger players in the Forest team.

Lastly, Spence knows what it means to have bumps on the road to success. It is surprising for Middlesbrough to let him go.

Sometimes, things like this happen, and for Djed, it has become fuel for his success.

And sometimes a change of scenery is good, but it is just a shame that he is still a loanee. Hopefully, the youngster will settle down permanently.

Lifestyle:

At this stage of his career (the year 2022), the Forest star does live expensively. Djed hardly posts holiday pictures on his social media, and he prefers a simple lifestyle.

However, there are certain things the youngster spends his money on. Not houses or a big mansion, but a solid car.  We’ll reveal that in a sub-section of his Djed Spence lifestyle.

Djed Spence’s Car:

From what it seems, the Athlete fancies the Mercedes brand. And for Djed Spence’s Car colour, black works best for him.

We believe buying this sort of car with his wages is a worthwhile decision. After all, he needs the car for transporting himself to training and on match days.

Djed Spence Diet:

The footballer always stays away from red meat. Also, Djed does not eat high-protein foods like fish and chicken.

Djed Spence Family Life:

When the going got tough with Middlesbrough, members of his household stood by him. This section of Djed Spence’s Bio tells you more about his parents and family members. So, without further ado, let’s begin.

About Djed Spence’s Mother:

Aisha became famous during her son’s career days with Junior Elite. At that time, when Djed used to run down the wing, his mum would do the same. For a while, during match period, Aisha would run down the wings, all in the name of cheering her son.

Junior Elite Academy appointed Aisha Spence to become their team player. So kindhearted, Djed Spence’s mum would wash all the kits for the academy.

If a kid got injured, she offered herself as the unofficial physio. The academy had to buy her a club tracksuit, as she was a very supportive lady. Aisha Spence never did this, not because of her son but for all.

Following Forest’s 2022 nerve-wracking win on play-off penalties against Sheffield United, a video once emerged of Aisha celebrating heavily.

The mother of Djed Spence became a Wembley focus of attention. This shows how much she likes the game of football and her support for Djed.

About Djed Spence’s Father:

Simon Spence, who celebrates his birthday every January 27th, is Djed’s biological father. Research has it that he, who graduated from Kentwood High School, is a jovial Dad, and he raised the footballer and his siblings. According to his FaceBook page bio, Simon is a Peak performance Coach and Nutritional thinkologist.

Step Dad Martin:

An unconfirmed report suggests that Djed Spence had a stepdad named Martin. According to a source, Martin often assisted by running the lines during Djed’s time at Junior Elite. While Martin has played a guardian role in Djed’s life, he is not his biological father. There is no clear information about the current relationship between Djed’s biological father, Simon, and his mother, Aisha, or the extent to which Martin has acted as a father figure.

About Djed Spence’s Sister:

Karla-Simone Spence was born on the 19th day of July 1996. She is a fast-rising British actress best known for her role as Leah in the 2019 film Blue Story.

Djed Spence’s sister is also popular on British television. She once appeared in the 2019 BBC One miniseries Gold Digger. Karla-Simone Spence was also part of the 2018 BBC Three series Wannabe.

Regarding her favourite summer gateways, Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic tops her list. While visiting there, Djed Spence’s Sister never leaves without doing her horse riding.

Djed Spence Brother:

The left-back has three sisters and no male siblings. Lewwis Spence, as some fans claim, is not Djed Spence’s brother and neither is Djed a twin.

The Athlete, Lewwis Spence is not Djed Spence’s relative. He, a footballer born in 1987, is a brother to Drew Spence, another female footballer.

Untold Facts:

Rounding up this Bio, we’ll unveil more information about the fast-rising football player. Without further ado, let’s begin.

He makes us believe Statistics don’t always tell a Story:

Djed Spence is living proof that basic football statistics do not always tell the full story. Did you know?…

In his 28-match starts for Forest, he delivered only two goals and two assists. Despite that, the youngster bagged a hat-trick of awards, as written earlier in Djed’s Bio.

Djed Spence Networth and Salary:

As of 2022, the value of the Athlete’s financial assets is approximately £2.5 million. Djed Spence’s wealth comes from his wages, salary, endorsement deals and contract bonuses.

Comparing the Athlete’s Salary to the Average British Citizen:

Where Djed Spence comes from (in the UK), the average Londoner makes £53,700 yearly. Such a person would need 14 years and six months to make Djed’s salary with Forest.

Djed Spence FIFA Facts:

The Athlete is a replica of a host of speedy right-backs outside England. They include the likes of Neco Williams, Juan Cuadrado, Dutch Denzel Dumfries, Portugal’s Joao Cancelo, Italy Michael Kayode, etc.

Djed Spence is definitely a man to buy on FIFA career mode when you are looking for cheap players with blazing speed. At 20, he has gotten excellent acceleration and sprint speed stats.

Djed Spence Religion:

Our odds are in favour of the 6 foot 1 Athlete being a Christian. Although we notice Djed Spence’s religious beliefs are private to himself.

Again, Spense is not the type of footballer who gets vocal on matters relating to the Christian religion.

Superstitions Beliefs:

Djed Spence bandage is the material he uses for his pre-match rituals. Before every match, Spence tries to wrap white bandage tape around his left wrist and say a Christian prayer.

Next, he expresses himself on the pitch and does his best to make a difference.

Neil Warnock’s response to Djed Spence Cigar dig:

After winning the EPL promotion, Forest hero (Spence) aimed a dig at Neil Warnock.

Upon observing that, the iconic coach gave a reply to the boy he once chased out of his team. In Warnock’s words;

Well done Djed, I did tell you to go to the premier league or non-league. Am glad you listened to me and took my advice.

Those cigars won’t do you any good though son.

Djed Spence and Drew Spence – are they related?

Both footballers are not related by blood, even though they have Jamaican family heritage. Also, to note in this Bio, Drew Spence’s brother (Lewwis Spence) is not related to Djed.

Summary EndNote:

Djed Spence is the youngest of four children from his mother, Aisha. He grew up under the care of his stepfather, Martin. Karla-Simone Spence, the actress from Blue Story, is Djed Spence’s sister.

As a child, the England footballer benefitted from a strong family support network. Djed Spence’s Mum (Aisha) played a prominent role in his career success.

Research has it that Djed Spence has two nationalities. He is British by virtue of his birth and Jamaican through his parents’ origin. Aisha, who is married to Djed Spence’s stepfather, Martin West, is a big football fan.

She helped him find his first football club, Junior Elite. While there, young Djed Spence played alongside Emile Smith-Rowe.

Colin Omogbehin, the owner of Junior Elite, supported the youngster in getting a successful trial at Fulham. Owing to excess completion in Fulham’s right-back row, Djed moved on to Middlesbrough.

As a professional footballer, he didn’t find much joy under Neil Warnock. Djed Spence’s agent, Raps Management, pushed for his loan move to Nottingham Forest.

While at Forest, the youngster found joy under Steve Cooper, a native of Pontypridd. The very nice coach put his arms around Djed, making him feel wanted.

The youngster responded positively to the coach’s gesture. Djed Spence helped Nottingham Forest (a sleeping European giant) get to the Premier League.

Appreciation Note:

Thank you for taking the time to read our version of Djed Spence’s Biography. Our writers strive for accuracy and fairness while delivering to you the stories of England Footballers.  This Djed’s Bio falls under our United Kingdom Football Stories.

Please let us know (via comments) if you notice any errors or wrongs in this write-up. Don’t forget to read other related football stories displayed on this page. On a final note, please tell us what you think about Djed Spence and his amazing Biography story.