At an imposing 6ft 5in, Joe Bunney began his football career as a centre forward for several non-league clubs in his native north-west. He signed professional terms with Rochdale in 2013 and during his time at Spotland he was converted to a left-sided defender. Bunney spent five years at Dale, clocking up over 120 Football League appearances. He then spent 18 months at Northampton, before signing for Bolton Wanderers in 2019 where his time was cut short by a car accident after just a week at his new club. Bunney was plying his trade at Matlock Town in late 2020, when Pools announced a short-term deal to bring him to Victoria Park. With the first team squad low on numbers ahead of a busy Christmas period, Bunney's versatility was seen as a useful addition to the ranks. He featured in five games before leaving the club in the new year. He signed for League Two Grimsby Town early in 2021