Jakub SokolÃÂk (born 28 August 1993) is a Czech professional footballer who plays as a defender, most recently for Torquay United.
SokolÃÂk joined the youth academy of BanÃÂk Ostrava when he was 6 years old in 1999. During his time at the academy, SokolÃÂk attended Ostrava-KunÃÂice Secondary School. He then signed for the Liverpool's youth academy in 2009. SokolÃÂk made his debut for the reserve team against Everton reserves. He then progressed through the ranks of the academy and reserves team throughout his time there.
Following this, SokolÃÂk was released by Liverpool.
After a successful trial, SokolÃÂk joined Southend United in League Two on loan on 11 March 2014 for the rest of the season.
His first involvement with the club was in a match against Scunthorpe United where he was an unused substitute. In a followâÂÂup against Bury on 15 March 2014, SokolÃÂk made his debut for Southend United after starting the match instead of Mark Philips and helped the club keep a clean sheet, in a 0âÂÂ0 draw. This was followed up by helping Southend United keep three more clean sheets in the next three matches. Since joining the club, he quickly established himself in the first team, playing in the centreâÂÂback position for the rest of the season. SokolÃÂk helped Southend United keep two consecutive clean sheets between 18 April 2014 and 21 April 2014 against Rochdale and Accrington Stanley. He played in both legs of the League Two playâÂÂoffs against Burton Albion, as the club lost 3âÂÂ2 on aggregate. At the end of the 2013âÂÂ14 season, SokolÃÂk went on to make twelve appearances in all competitions.
Soon after being released by Liverpool, SokolÃÂk signed for Yeovil Town on a two-year contract on 30 June 2014 despite interests to make a return to Southend United on a permanent basis. Upon joining the club, he was given a number six shirt.
SokolÃÂk made his Yeovil Town debut, starting in the centreâÂÂback position, in a 3âÂÂ0 loss against Doncaster Rovers in the opening game of the season. For the next three months, he quickly established himself in the first team, playing in either the centreâÂÂback position and rightâÂÂback position. However, injuries and completions restricted his appearances in the first team. By the time SokolÃÂk was loaned out to Southend United, he made twelve appearances in all competitions.
Ahead of the 2015âÂÂ16 season, SokolÃÂk managed to recover from his injury and was featured in Yeovil Town's friendly matches. Since the start of the 2015âÂÂ16 season, he quickly regained his first team place for the club, playing in the centreâÂÂback position. SokolÃÂk scored his first goal for Yeovil Town, in a 2âÂÂ2 draw against Dagenham & Redbridge on 10 October 2015. A month later on 7 November 2015, however, he received a red card in the 7th minute for an unprofessional foul, as the club won 1âÂÂ0 against Maidstone United in the first round of the FA Cup. After serving a three match suspension, SokolÃÂk returned to the starting lineâÂÂup against Stevenage in the second round of the FA Cup and helped the club keep a clean in a 1âÂÂ0 win on 5 December 2015. He then set up a goal for François Zoko to score Yeovil Town's only goal of the game, in a 1âÂÂ1 draw against Portsmouth on 20 February 2016. SokolÃÂk followed up by helping the club keep three clean sheets in the next three matches. He, once again, helped Yeovil Town keep another three consecutive clean sheets between 25 March 2016 and 5 April 2016 against Carlisle United, Newport County and Stevenage. At the end of the 2015âÂÂ16 season, SokolÃÂk went on to make forty appearances and scoring once in all competitions. Following this, he was released by the club upon expiry of contract.
On 31 October 2014, SokolÃÂk re-joined Southend United on a one-month loan deal. The next day, he made his second debut for the club, starting the whole game, in a 2âÂÂ1 win over Mansfield Town. However, SokolÃÂk soon lost his first team place due to competitions in Southend United's defence and was placed on the substitute bench once he returned from suspension. Despite this, SokolÃÂk loan spell with the club was extended until 3 January 2015. However, SokolÃÂk's loan spell with Southend United was soon cut after a knee injury kept him out for three months, which was later extended later in the 2014âÂÂ15 season. By the time he departed from the club, SokolÃÂk made two appearances in all competitions.
On 15 July 2016, SokolÃÂk went on trial at Southend United in hopes of winning a contract with the club. Having made an impression at the trial, it was announced on 29 July 2016 that the club signed him on a five-month contract until 31 December 2016 with a view to a longer-term deal.
He made his third debut for Southend United, starting the whole game, and set up the club's only goal of the game, in a 3âÂÂ1 loss against Gillingham in the first round of the League Cup on 9 August 2016. Following this, SokolÃÂk was dropped from the squad for the next three matches. He didn't make his return to the first team until a match against Brighton & Hove Albion U23 on 30 August 2016 in the EFL Trophy, starting a match and played 88 minutes, as Southend United won 2âÂÂ0. SokolÃÂk appeared in the next two matches against Bolton Wanderers and Scunthorpe United. However, he found himself out of the first team for two months, due to competitions in the club's defence. As a result, SokolÃÂk made four more appearances by the end of the year. Because of his lack of first team opportunities, his departure from Southend United was confirmed on 4 January 2017. By the time he departed from the club, SokolÃÂk made nine appearances in all competitions.
On 4 January 2017, Plymouth Argyle confirmed SokolÃÂk had joined them after his contract at Southend United ran down.
He made his debut for the club, coming on as a second-half substitute, in a 2âÂÂ1 loss against Cheltenham Town on 21 January 2017. In a followâÂÂup match against Yeovil Town, SokolÃÂk made his first start for Plymouth Argyle, as the club lost 2âÂÂ1. Since joining Plymouth Argyle, he was featured heavily in the remainder of the 2016âÂÂ17 season. SokolÃÂk helped the club keep two consecutive clean sheets in two separate matches. At the end of the 2016âÂÂ17 season, he went on to make eighteen appearances and scoring once in all competitions.
Ahead of the 2017âÂÂ18 season, SokolÃÂk was given a number twenty shirt. However, he featured very little in the 2017âÂÂ18 season, with just five appearances coming his way by the start of the new year. SokolÃÂk left Plymouth Argyle by mutual consent on 31 January 2018.
After being released by Plymouth Argyle, SokolÃÂk signed for Torquay United on 16 February 2018 for the rest of the 2017âÂÂ18 season.
He made his debut for the club, playing the whole game, in a 3âÂÂ0 loss against Dagenham & Redbridge on 17 February 2018. SokolÃÂk then started in the next four matches for Torquay United. However, he found himself out of the first team for the rest of the season, due to being sidelined with injuries. As SokolÃÂk was absent from the first team, the club were relegated to the National League South following a 1âÂÂ1 away draw at Hartlepool United. At the end of the 2017âÂÂ18 season, he went on to make five appearances in all competitions. Following this, SokolÃÂk was held talks over a new contract by Torquay United. On 16 May 2018, SokolÃÂk signed a contract extension with Torquay United.
However at the start of the 2018âÂÂ19 season, SokolÃÂk appeared twice for Torquay United before he suffered a knee ligament damage in the 70th minute and was substituted, as the club won 2âÂÂ0 against East Thurrock United on 11 August 2018. After the match, it was announced that SokolÃÂk would be out for a month. It was announced on 23 December 2018 that he left Torquay United by mutual consent. By the time SokolÃÂk left the club, he made seven appearances in all competitions.
SokolÃÂk represented Czech Republic U16 between 2008 and 2009, as he went on to make seven appearances for the U16 side. The following year, SokolÃÂk represented Czech Republic U17, as he went on to make five appearances for the U17 side.