National League promotion-chasing Woking have announced the signing of Crawley Town midfielder Jake Hessenthaler until the end of the season. 

Hessenthaler boasts a wealth of Football League experience, racking up over 300 appearances in League’s One and Two with Gillingham, Grimsby Town and Crawley to name a few, and comes in to strengthen the Cardinals promotion credentials. 

The Gravesend-born midfielder becomes a latest departure from Crawley as the deadline expires in the EFL, and will go straight into the Woking squad for tonight’s clash with Torquay United.

  • A wealth of Football League experience

A graduate of Chelsea’s youth academy, Hessenthaler was released by the Premier League side in 2009, linking up with Gillingham.

While at the Gills, he went out on loan to Merstham on a one-month loan deal before signing his first professional contract for the Kent based outfit in February 2013. 

After loan spells with non-League clubs Lewes, Tamworthand and Margate, he made his debut for Gillingham on 30 November 2013 as an 85th minute substitute in a 4–1 away league loss to Rotherham United.

He was released by Gillingham at the end of the 2017–18 season after spending five years at Priestfield and signed a two-year contract with Grimsby Town, he then joined up with Crawley in 2020 before leaving on loan to Woking.

  • Non-league experience

In his days at Gillingham, Hessenthaler was sent out on loan to various non-league clubs.

He started out in a one-month loan deal to Surrey-based Mertsham, before returning to the Gills when he was called up to the first team squad.

A raft of loan deals to non-league clubs followed in 2013 for Hessenthaler, with clubs like Tamworth and Margate bringing him in on short-term basis’ but a notable loan was to Lewes, who are known for bringing out Football League and even Premier League talent like Solly March and Ollie Tanner - who turned down a move to Tottenham Hotspur to stay at Lewis - and know finds himself at Cardiff City and on-loan at York City.

Hessenthaler, nine years after his last spell in non-league football, returns as he joins the promotion-chasing Cards.

  • Darren Sarll states signing as a “statement of progression”

Woking manager Darrel Sarll is waxing lyrical about his latest addition, and speaking to the clubs website, he said:

“Jake’s signing is a statement of not only our progression, but the way we recruit, he comes with a serious EFL profile and CV, and creates really strong competition in an important area for us; an area’s necessity which has been heightened when we’ve been without the likes of Anderson and Ince.”

“He comes with a serious EFL profile and CV, and creates really strong competition in an important area for us; an area’s necessity which has been heightened when we’ve been without the likes of Anderson and Ince.”

“We felt that through the February games, we need another starter-type in midfield to be able to be able to support the eight games.”

“I think everyone will see this signing as a marker of what the Club is trying to achieve.” 

  • Statement from Crawley Town

“Crawley Town Football Club can confirm that midfielder Jake Hessenthaler has joined National League side Woking on loan until the end of the season. 

Hessenthaler joined the Reds in the September of 2020 and has gone on to make 113 appearances, scoring six goals. 

Everybody at the club would like to wish Jake all the best during his time at Woking. Jake has immediately linked up with the Woking squad and is in contention to feature for the Cards this evening as they take on Torquay in the National League.“