Alex Woodyard

Alex Woodyard joined Sutton on a free transfer in January 2025, arriving on an 18-month contract following his release from Colchester United.

Having started his career at Charlton Athletic, Woodyard moved to Southend United at the age of 16 and made his professional debut the same year, starting in the Shrimpers’ 3–1 away loss to Burton Albion in League Two. He would go on to make three appearances by the time he turned 17 and later gained experience out on loan at Farnborough and Braintree Town, the latter preceding a period back at Southend in which he won successive Player of the Month awards in October and November 2012.

He would depart Roots Hall permanently ahead of the 2013/14 campaign, with stints at Dartford and Concord Rangers preceding a return to Braintree in 2015. He would impress during his brief spell back at Cressing Road and later followed manager Danny Cowley to Lincoln City in 2016, and it was during his time at Sincil Bank where Woodyard gained his first taste of silverware. Woodyard ended the 2016/17 season as the Imps’ Player of the Season as the club won promotion back to the Football League as Conference Premier champions, ending a seven-year absence from the fourth tier.

A successful two-year spell at Lincoln would come to an end in 2018 when he opted to join Peterborough United, departing with over 100 appearances to his name. He would captain the side during the 2018/19 season and featured 70 times over two years, before a loan spell at Tranmere Rovers brought his time at London Road to an end.

Woodyard would make the switch to AFC Wimbledon and enjoyed a successful three-year stint in South London, making 123 appearances and notably scoring against arch-rivals MK Dons. A brief spell at York City followed, with the midfielder spending a season at the LNER Community Stadium before he reunited with manager Cowley at Colchester in the summer of 2024.

The midfielder spent half-a-season at the JobServe Community Stadium, but opted to drop into the National League to join Sutton midway through the campaign, and played a key role in the dressing room as well as captaining the side on occasion as well.

Woodyard also has five caps for England C, turning out internationally for the Three Lions between 2015 and 2016.