Michael Nelson (footballer)
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| Michael Nelson | ||
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| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Michael Nelson | |
| Date of birth | 23 March 1980 | |
| Place of birth | Gateshead, England | |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | |
| Playing position | Centre Back | |
| Club information | ||
| Current club | Hartlepool United | |
| Number | 5 | |
| Senior clubs1 | ||
| Years | Club | App (Gls)* |
| 1998–2000 2000–2001 20001–2003 2003–Present |
Spennymoor United Bishop Auckland Bury Hartlepool United |
28 (2) ? (?) 74 (8) 178 (7) |
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1 Senior club appearances and goals |
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Michael Nelson (born 23 March 1980 in Gateshead) is a professional footballer who currently plays as a defender for Hartlepool United in League One.
Nelson started his playing career as a semi-professional, playing for non league teams such as Spennymoor United, Leek Town and Bishop Auckland. Nelson’s performances attracted the attention of league clubs who sent scouts to watch him. Nelson was given a trial at Hartlepool but he was not offered a contract by the then Hartlepool manager Chris Turner. However Nelson was offered a contract at Bury by manager Andy Preece after Bury scout Peter Ward convinced him to give Nelson a chance.
Once Nelson had settled down to professional football, he gradually became a first team regular and during his first full season at Bury he managed to play 31 of the clubs 46 league matches, scoring 2 goals in the process. Nelson formed a defensive partnership with Danny Swailes. However during the season Nelson suffered what he described as ‘‘the worst injury of his career’’ after suffering a collapsed lung and several cracked ribs after a collision during Bury’s match against Wigan. Nelson had to have a drain inserted into his chest for several days while he was hospitalised. The injury threatened to keep him sidelined for three months but remarkably Nelson was able to resume training less than three weeks later.
Despite being dropped early on, Nelson’s second season turned out to be even more successful as he played in 40 of Bury’s 46 matches, scoring 5 goals. Nelson was made club captain and his performances earned him the respect of the club’s players and fans. Nelson made a clean sweep at the Bury end of season awards, as he picked up Forever Bury Player of the season, Billy Ayre Website Player of the Season, Players Player of the Season and Disabled Player of the Season. During that season, Bury manager Andy Preece hailed Nelson as "the best centre-half in Division Three". [1]. However, Bury failed to gain promotion to League 1 as they missed out during the play-offs and Nelson was offered the chance to play in a higher division by several League 1 clubs.
The following season, Nelson joined Hartlepool United on the same day that Neale Cooper was appointed manager for a fee of around £70,000. Nelson was seen as natural replacement for Graeme Lee who had joined Sheffield Wednesday. Nelson started strongly for Hartlepool and scored the winner from 30 yards during his debut in Hartlepool’s 4-3 win over Peterborough. This goal almost earned him another award as it was on the shortlist for Hartlepool’s Goal of the Season. He was also voted September’s Player of the Month on the official Hartlepool website. Nelson began to form a strong partnership with Chris Westwood and the pair played together for the majority of Hartlepool’s games. Nelson went onto to play in 40 of Hartlepool’s league matches and played in both legs of Hartlepool’s play-off semi final match against Bristol City. Nelson was in contention for Hartlepool’s Fans and Players’ Player of the season but he missed out to Jim Provett on both occasions.
However Nelson failed to maintain this through to the 2004/5 season and he handed in a transfer request. His agent claimed that he’d been “promised” a better deal. This triggered a feud with Hartlepool chairman Ken Hodcroft who criticised Nelson and his agent. Nelson was missing in several of Hartlepool’s matches and was rumoured to be signing for Hull City for a fee of around £100,000. However Nelson withdrew his transfer request and was reinstalled into the starting line-up. His performances earned him an improved contract and he was offered a new three-year contract that would tie him to the club until 2008.
Nelson’s third season of the club saw him receiving his first red card for Hartlepool after he retaliated and elbowed Jack Lester during Hartlepool’s defeat to Nottingham Forest. Nelson has also told his team-mates to stop moaning about their luck and start getting results, "We shouldn't be saying every week how unlucky we have been; we had chances and should have scored". [2]
Nelson is the favoured central defender alongside Ben Clark and their partnership has been outstanding during the 2006/2007 campaign. They played a major part in the 18 game unbeaten run along with Dimitrios Konstantopoulos in goal.
The 2006-07 season saw Nelson take the captain's armband in the absence on Michael Barron. Nelson was named in the PFA League Two Team of the Year for the 2006-07 season.[3].
[edit] External links
- Nelson's Official Hartlepool United F.C. profile
- Michael Nelson profile at In The Mad Crowd
- Vital Hartlepool Profile: Michael Nelson
- Michael Nelson career stats at Soccerbase
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[edit] Related names
Michael Nelson-Arizona
