Jamestown Analytics
| Formerly | Sprint Innovate Limited |
|---|---|
| Type | Private limited company |
| Industry | Sports analytics |
| Founded | 19 July 2017 (as Sprint Innovate Limited) |
| Key people | Justin Said (managing director) |
| Owner | Johan Moazed (at least 75%) |
| Website | jamestownanalytics |
Jamestown Analytics Limited is a British sports analytics company providing predictive data and analysis to football and cricket clubs. It grew out of work associated with Starlizard, the betting consultancy linked to Brighton & Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom, and became independent of Starlizard in 2023.[1][2]
Its football services are used for player and head-coach recruitment, player valuation and opposition analysis.[3] The modelling developed from data used in betting and is intended to forecast future performance as well as analyse previous matches.[1][4] In October 2025, The Independent reported that more than 15 clubs worldwide were using Jamestown's service.[4]
History
[edit]The company was incorporated on 19 July 2017 as Sprint Innovate Limited.[5] Star Lizard Consulting Limited held at least 75 per cent of the shares and voting rights from incorporation and could appoint or remove directors.[2] Sprint Innovate was renamed Jamestown Analytics Limited on 4 May 2023.[6]
Starlizard ceased to be a person with significant control on 1 September 2023. Johan Moazed, a Swedish sports bettor, became the controlling shareholder and a director, while Justin Said joined the board on the same date.[2][6][1] The Times later described Jamestown as independent of Bloom's business network, with Moazed as owner and Said as managing director.[1]
Football analytics
[edit]Jamestown's football operation developed from data and modelling associated with Starlizard's betting work. The Times reported that the service was created to apply those methods to football clubs, including identifying players considered undervalued or suited to a club's budget and style of play.[1] Brighton and Royale Union Saint-Gilloise were using the service before Jamestown became independent of Starlizard.[1][7]
The modelling combines analysis of previous performance with projections of how players are expected to perform in future. Union Saint-Gilloise chairman Alex Muzio told The Independent that Jamestown's data was private and that the company generally worked with only one club in each territory.[4] Muzio also said that clubs used the information differently, with the value of the service depending partly on how each club incorporated it into its own recruitment and decision-making.[4]
Selected club applications
[edit]Brighton & Hove Albion and Union Saint-Gilloise
[edit]At Brighton & Hove Albion, The Times linked Jamestown's analysis with the recruitment of players including Moisés Caicedo and Kaoru Mitoma, while BBC Sport described its data as an important part of the club's wider recruitment operation.[1][8]
Jamestown was also used when Brighton sought a replacement for Caicedo following his move to Chelsea in 2023. BBC Sport reported that its modelling identified Carlos Baleba, who subsequently joined from Lille for about £23 million.[8] The Independent later reported that Baleba's performances in France had triggered Jamestown's models before the transfer.[9]
Union chairman Alex Muzio told The Independent that his club used Jamestown's private predictive data in recruitment and that its usefulness depended on how individual clubs incorporated the information into their own decisions.[4] The newspaper cited Victor Boniface, Noah Sadiki and Christian Burgess among players recruited during Union's use of the system.[4]
Heart of Midlothian
[edit]Heart of Midlothian announced an agreement with Jamestown in November 2024 giving the club exclusive access in Scotland to its player-data services.[7] Chief executive Andrew McKinlay said the database could assess players and model how they might perform in the Scottish Premiership, although it would form only one part of the recruitment process.[10]
During the 2025–26 season, The Guardian described Alexandros Kyziridis as one of several Hearts signings unearthed through Jamestown's analysis,[11] while The Independent reported that the system had enabled Hearts to target undervalued sources, citing Cláudio Braga's move from Aalesund and Kyziridis's arrival from Slovakia.[12]
The club has also used Jamestown when appointing head coaches. McKinlay said Neil Critchley had been Hearts' preferred candidate from an analytics perspective when he was appointed in 2024, but Critchley was dismissed six months later.[13] In the subsequent search, sporting director Graeme Jones said Jamestown's analysis supported his reasoning in selecting Derek McInnes, while stressing that the system did not provide a ranked first choice. McInnes was appointed in May 2025.[14]
When McInnes left for Rangers the following year, René Hake was interviewed after reportedly scoring highly in Jamestown's analysis, while Maarten Martens was among the other candidates considered.[15][16] Sky Sports reported that Wouter Vrancken was identified following Jamestown input and remained a standout option; after his appointment, Jones said analytics had been used to flag candidates before Hearts carried out its own assessment.[16][17]
Recruitment workflows
[edit]Clubs using Jamestown have incorporated its analysis into existing recruitment structures in different ways. At Grimsby Town, vice-chairman Jason Stockwood wrote in The Guardian in 2024 that Jamestown's data was informing recruitment and other decisions. Discussing areas that statistical models could not readily capture, he pointed to personality, attitude and compatibility with the club's culture.[18] When Grimsby sought a Player Recruitment Lead in June 2025, the role included working closely with Jamestown on player identification and squad planning.[19]
Shelbourne entered an exclusive partnership in January 2025 covering squad planning, opposition analysis and recruitment. Technical director Luke Byrne told The42 that the club could give Jamestown the type of player it required and its available budget, then receive candidates projected to perform at League of Ireland level.[20] Shelbourne followed those recommendations with video or in-person scouting, including assessment of character and dressing-room suitability. Byrne said access to the database also allowed the club to search internationally without maintaining a worldwide scouting network.[20]
The process at Heracles Almelo began with the club defining how it wanted to play and the profile required for each position. Head coach Vincent Heilmann said Jamestown would then produce candidates for Heracles to investigate.[21] The partnership was introduced after the club's relegation from the Eredivisie in 2026 as part of a restructuring of its technical and scouting operation.[22] Voetbal International reported that the first five signings in the subsequent rebuild, Mario Borac, Max Hauswirth, Manny Rodríguez, Maurice Wrusch and Jean-Paul N'Djoli, had all emerged from the Jamestown model.[21]
Como 1907 and CD Castellón
[edit]Jamestown expanded beyond its earlier client network to work with Como 1907 in Italy and CD Castellón in Spain.[1] Aftonbladet reported in 2026 that Jamestown supplied Como with groups of players projected to perform at a specified level in its league. Club president Mirwan Suwarso said Como would then examine the recommendations and assess why individual players had been identified.[23]
One player discussed in connection with Como's data-led recruitment was Adrian Lahdo, who joined from Hammarby aged 18 in 2026. Aftonbladet reported that Lahdo's underlying data had attracted attention during the recruitment process.[23] Suwarso said Jamestown's recommendations were intended to reduce unsuccessful expenditure, while the final assessment of proposed players remained with the club.[23]
Castellón owner Haralabos Voulgaris told The Times in 2024 that he valued Jamestown for identifying players whose ability or potential was not readily apparent from conventional statistics, as well as for the quality of its data and analysts.[1] Jamestown forms part of a broader analytical approach at Castellón: Sky Sports reported in 2026 that Voulgaris also used his own analysis and had previously worked with the consultancy Pitch32, while forward Adam Jakobsen said the club combined data with conventional considerations such as how players worked together.[24]
1. FC Nürnberg
[edit]1. FC Nürnberg became Jamestown's first German partner in June 2025, with sporting director Joti Chatzialexiou describing the agreement as part of a broader move towards greater use of data in scouting.[25] Nordbayern later reported that Jamestown's analysis contributed to the signing of midfielder Adam Markhiev from Aris Limassol, whose statistical profile resembled that of departing midfielder Caspar Jander.[26]
By February 2026, Chatzialexiou said the system was allowing Nürnberg to assess a much wider international pool, including players in markets such as Argentina where the club had no scouts. He also said the partnership was still being refined and that Jamestown was continuing to adapt its work to the German market.[27]
Other partnerships
[edit]IK Start entered an exclusive Norwegian partnership with Jamestown in December 2024, covering player recruitment, squad development and opposition analysis.[28] In July 2025, sporting director Mick Priest said Jamestown had identified Estonia midfielder Markus Soomets as a player for Start to monitor the previous November and had carried out further analysis before the club signed him.[29][30] In Australia, Melbourne Victory entered an exclusive partnership with Jamestown in March 2025 covering the men's first team and senior academy. Japanese forward Charles Nduka, who joined from Kagoshima United in January 2026, became the first Victory signing publicly identified through Jamestown's analysis. He scored five goals and provided two assists in 13 appearances during the remainder of the 2025–26 season before signing a two-year contract extension in July.[31][32][33]
Djurgårdens IF began working with Jamestown in 2026 as part of changes to the club's sporting operation.[34] By August, head of men's football Maximilian Hahn said Jamestown had been involved in all of Djurgården's summer signings, although the club remained responsible for deciding which recommendations to pursue.[35]
Swansea City entered a strategic partnership with Jamestown in June 2026. The club said the service would sit alongside its existing scouting operation and help it work more efficiently in its player-trading model.[36]
Cricket
[edit]Jamestown also provides analytics for cricket, including player recruitment and selection and analysis intended to inform decisions such as batting orders and bowling allocations.[3][37]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "The secretive analytics company helping clubs unearth next Moisés Caicedo". The Times. 19 October 2024. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Jamestown Analytics Limited: persons with significant control". Companies House. Government of the United Kingdom. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- 1 2 "Jamestown Analytics – Football & Soccer Player & Coach Analysis". Jamestown Analytics. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Union Saint-Gilloise: Meet the man behind Belgium's Brighton plotting Champions League disruption". The Independent. 1 October 2025. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- ↑ "Jamestown Analytics Limited overview". Companies House. Government of the United Kingdom. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- 1 2 "Jamestown Analytics Limited filing history". Companies House. Government of the United Kingdom. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- 1 2 "Hearts confirm partnership with analytics firm for 'exclusive' Scottish access". BBC Sport. 20 November 2024. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- 1 2 "Hearts: Tony Bloom partnership can take club to new level". BBC Sport. 30 September 2024. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- ↑ "Why Carlos Baleba could be the missing piece in Manchester United's new midfield". The Independent. 20 August 2026. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- ↑ "How are Hearts using Jamestown in signings search?". BBC Sport. 17 January 2025. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- ↑ "Scottish roundup: Hearts go top as Celtic stumble against Hibs after protest". The Guardian. 27 September 2025. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- ↑ "At Hearts, 'something special' is brewing in historic Scottish title challenge". The Independent. 2 March 2026. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- ↑ "Are Jamestown Analytics reason to be 'optimistic' or 'bizarre' tool for Hearts?". BBC Sport. 1 May 2025. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- ↑ "Jamestown backed Hearts' push for Derek McInnes, says sporting director Graeme Jones". BBC Sport. 20 May 2025. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- ↑ Wilson, Fraser (19 June 2026). "Rene Hake is leading Hearts manager contender as former Man Utd and Feyenoord coach holds talks". Daily Record. Retrieved 24 September 2026 – via Yahoo Sports.
- 1 2 "Wouter Vrancken: Hearts set to appoint Belgian coach as Derek McInnes' successor at Tynecastle Park". Sky Sports. 23 June 2026. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- ↑ Duncan, Thomas (25 June 2026). "Vrancken the 'standout' candidate for Hearts - Jones". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 September 2026 – via Yahoo Sports.
- ↑ Stockwood, Jason (29 October 2024). "Data is a powerful tool, but it will never replace what makes football beautiful". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- ↑ "Player Recruitment Update". Grimsby Town F.C. 11 June 2025. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- 1 2 Cooney, Gavin (February 2025). "'We need to find the next Will Jarvis' - How Shelbourne are embracing football's data revolution". The42. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- 1 2 Janssen, Sander (29 June 2026). "De wederopbouw van Heracles, met een nieuwe visie en een Duits tintje". Voetbal International (in Dutch). Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- ↑ Janssen, Sander (20 May 2026). "Het databedrijf dat de toverformule voor Heracles kan leveren". Voetbal International (in Dutch). Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 Bank, Simon. "Fascineras av den – och avskyr den". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- ↑ Bate, Adam (8 June 2026). "CD Castellon chase LaLiga promotion after 35 years away as pro gambler's data-led approach transforms club". Sky Sports. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- ↑ "Club kooperiert mit Datenscouting-Firma: Neues Scouting-Kapitel oder erster Schritt zum Investor?". Nordbayern (in German). 4 June 2025. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- ↑ "Leih-Fokus, Jugendwahn und Kurswechsel: Der FCN-Transfersommer in Zahlen". Nordbayern (in German). September 2025. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- ↑ "Nicht alles aufgegangen: Chatzialexiou fällt dennoch positive Bilanz zum FCN-Transferwinter". Nordbayern (in German). February 2026. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- ↑ "IK Start lanserer samarbeidsavtale med Jamestown Analytics". IK Start (in Norwegian). 6 December 2024. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
- ↑ "Landslagsspiller signerer med IK Start". IK Start (in Norwegian). 9 July 2025. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
- ↑ Bank, Simon (6 February 2026). "Fascineras av den – och avskyr den". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 25 September 2026.
- ↑ "Melbourne Victory partners with globally renowned football analytics company Jamestown Analytics". Melbourne Victory FC. 6 March 2025. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- ↑ "No grudge match but Victory's Mata to face his old club". Australian Associated Press. 9 January 2026. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- ↑ "Japanese striker Nduka pens new contract extension with Melbourne Victory". A-Leagues. 3 July 2026. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- ↑ Nilsson, David (6 April 2026). "Ska bli ledande i Norden – med hjälp av data" [Will become a Nordic leader – with help from data]. Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- ↑ "Maximilian Hahn: En Premier League-scout är klar för Djurgården". Fotbollskanalen (in Swedish). 20 August 2026. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- ↑ "Swansea City enters strategic partnership with Jamestown Analytics". Swansea City A.F.C. 23 June 2026. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- ↑ "Trade Mark Journal No. 2025/034: UK00004241780 JAMESTOWN ANALYTICS". Intellectual Property Office. Government of the United Kingdom. 22 August 2025. Retrieved 24 September 2026.