Simon Christopher Ainge (born 18 February 1988) is an English footballer who plays for club Yorkshire Amateur as a defender and a forward. He began his career at Bradford City in the lower divisions of the Football League, and then spent three seasons playing for Guiseley before transferring to Luton Town. He was released by Luton in July 2013 and subsequently spent 18-month spells at FC Halifax Town and Bradford Park Avenue. After 18 months with Harrogate Town and a three-month loan to Wrexham, Ainge signed for Darlington in 2018. Career Born in Shipley, near Bradford, West Yorkshire, Simon Ainge is a product of Bradford City's youth system, winning a senior contract in March 2006. He broke into the first team the following season making his debut in a 2–1 defeat to Scunthorpe United on 17 October 2006 in the Football League Trophy. He made his first league appearance the following month before his first start was in a 4–0 FA Cup victory over Crewe Alexandra on 4 November 2006. He played four times during November 2006 winning praise from his manager Colin Todd, a former England international centre back. Ainge played a total of 11 games during the 2006–07 season but he was limited to just four games the following season, including three as substitute, and was instead given a trial at Scunthorpe United. He returned to Bradford before he joined Conference club Halifax Town in January 2008 in a loan deal for the rest of the season. Ainge was an unused substitute as Halifax went out of the FA Trophy as they lost to Rushden & Diamonds 2–0, and instead made his league debut the following weekend against the same team when he gave away a penalty for handball. Two days earlier Ainge had been one of five substitutes, who were all on loan at Halifax, during their 4–1 West Riding County Cup victory over Ossett Albion. Ainge came on during the victory but Halifax were later thrown out of the competition because loan players were not eligible. Ainge did not feature again for Halifax until 24 March 2008, when he came on as a substitute in the 16th minute when Halifax lost 2–0 to Droylsden. On 15 April 2008, he received the first red card of his career, for two bookable offences during Halifax's 2–1 defeat by Burton Albion. He played 12 games during his loan spell