Christopher Nathan Hamilton

CJ Hamilton was part of the Blackpool side that won the League One play-offs in 2021, a year after he joined the club from Mansfield Town. He has been a regular starter at Bloomfield Road since.

The route there was slow. Hamilton came through the youth ranks at Sheffield United and signed his first professional contract with them, but he never played a first-team game for the club. He was sent out on loan instead, and the spells were short. At Gainsborough Trinity he scored five goals in eight appearances. At Halifax Town he added three in nine. At Gateshead he played 25 league games and scored twice. He also had a loan at Mickleover.

In June 2016 Sheffield United let him go and he joined Mansfield Town on a free transfer. It was there that he settled. Over four years he made 142 league appearances and scored 15 goals, and he was a key player throughout. Blackpool signed him in July 2020.

Hamilton was born in Harrow, London, but he holds Irish citizenship and plays for the Republic of Ireland. His one senior cap came on 8 June 2022 in a UEFA Nations League match against Ukraine, when he came on as a substitute in the 78th minute.

He is left-footed and operates in midfield or on the wing.