Nicky Weaver
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Nicky Weaver | ||
Personal information | ||
---|---|---|
Full name | Nicky Weaver | |
Date of birth | March 2, 1979 (age 28) | |
Place of birth | Killamarsh Sheffield, England | |
Height | 6 ft 4 in (193cm) | |
Nickname | Weaver | |
Playing position | Goalkeeper | |
Club information | ||
Current club | Manchester City | |
Number | 12 | |
Youth clubs | ||
Mansfield Town | ||
Senior clubs1 | ||
Years | Club | App (Gls)* |
1994-1997 1997- 2005-2006 |
Mansfield Town Manchester City → Sheffield Wednesday (loan) |
175 (0) 14 (0) |
1 (0)
1 Senior club appearances and goals |
Nicholas Weaver (born March 2, 1979 Killamarsh Sheffield) is an English football goalkeeper who plays for Manchester City.
Weaver was bought by Manchester City from Mansfield Town on the recommendation of goalkeeping coach Alex Stepney. He made his Manchester City debut in the first match of the 1998/99 season against Blackpool, keeping a clean sheet. Over the course of the season Weaver kept a total of 23 clean sheets, breaking the club record for clean sheets in a season. Weaver was the hero for Manchester City in the 1999 Second Division Play-Off final versus Gillingham after his penalty save clinched promotion, prompting him to go on a 'crazy run' around the Wembley pitch. At this point Weaver was tipped for the top after becoming an England under 21 international.
Since 1999 Weaver has been blighted by injury, and he did not start any games in the 2002/03, 2003/04 and 2004/05 seasons. He did play the last fifteen minutes of the 2004/05 season, when Stuart Pearce surprisingly substituted Claudio Reyna for Weaver so the regular City goalkeeper David James could play in attack against Middlesbrough.
Weaver's return to fitness resulted in injury once again during the close season of 2005, ruling him out of the start of the season. In Autumn 2005 Weaver went on loan to Sheffield Wednesday, the team he had supported since childhood, in an attempt to return to full fitness.
While at Wednesday, Weaver made 14 appearances, beginning with a 2-1 victory at home to Derby County and ending with a 3-0 defeat away at Leeds United. He also played in the Steel City derby away at Bramall Lane against Sheffield United, where Wednesday were beaten 1-0. He was the only Sheffield born player in the entire fixture.
Before the 2006/07 season City sold David James to Portsmouth, bought Andreas Isaksson as a replacement and gave Isaksson the number 1 shirt. However, an injury to Isaksson meant Weaver played the first game of the season on August 20 2006, his first senior start for the club in nearly three years, and Weaver's improved form led to him starting all but one of the City games in the rest of 2006.
[edit] External links
Manchester City F.C. - Current Squad |
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1 Isaksson | 2 Richards | 3 Ball | 4 Jordan | 5 Dabo | 7 Ireland | 8 Barton | 9 Mpenza | 10 Abdoun | 11 Vassell | 12 Weaver | 14 Dickov | 15 Distin | 16 Onuoha | 17 Sun | 18 Mills | 20 Samaras | 21 Hamann | 22 Dunne | 24 Beasley | 27 Trabelsi | 28 Sinclair | 30 Corradi | 33 Johnson | 36 Sturridge | 39 Laird | 43 Miller | Manager: Pearce |