| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Michael John Twiss[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 26 December 1977 [1] | ||
| Place of birth | Salford, England | ||
| Height | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Altrincham | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1994–1997 | Manchester United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1997–2000 | Manchester United | 0 | (0) |
| 1998–1999 | → Sheffield United (loan) | 12 | (1) |
| 2000–2001 | Port Vale | 18 | (2) |
| 2001–2002 | Leigh RMI | 33 | (15) |
| 2002–2004 | Chester City | 64 | (11) |
| 2004–2010 | Morecambe | 202 | (53) |
| 2010 | Stalybridge Celtic | 2 | (0) |
| 2010– | Altrincham | 32 | (4) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14:59, 5 June 2011 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). |
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Michael John Twiss (born 26 December 1977) is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Conference North side Altrincham.
Beginning his career with Manchester United, he enjoyed a loan spell with Sheffield United, without ever making an appearance for the Red Devils. He signed with Port Vale in 2000, moving on to non-league Leigh RMI a year later. In 2002 he transferred to Chester City, joining Morecambe two years later. He won promotion into the Football League with both clubs. After a six year associaiton with the club, he moved on to Altrincham via Stalybridge Celtic in 2010.
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Born in Salford, Greater Manchester,[1] Twiss began his career as a trainee at Manchester United, but despite being a regular in the reserve team from 1997 to 2001, failed to make the grade at the club. His first first team appearance was as a 78th minute substitute in an FA Cup fifth round replay with Barnsley, replacing Michael Clegg in a 3–2 defeat at Oakwell on 25 February 1998.
He spent most of the 1998–99 season on loan with Sheffield United in the First Division. His first senior goal came on 28 December, scoring a late winner over Huddersfield Town in a 2–1 victory at Bramall Lane.[2] He returned to Old Trafford in March 1999, having only started four games for United, coming on as a substitute thirteen times.
He played just one game of the 1999–2000 season, playing in a 3–0 defeat to Aston Villa at Villa Park in a League Cup third round game on 13 October. This was his first and final start under Alex Ferguson and he was released at the end of the season.
In July 2000 he signed a one-month deal with Brian Horton's Port Vale,[3] after impressing on trial.[4] A regular at the start of the 2000–01 season, he fell out of favour in October. He played in Vale's FA Cup exit to Canvey Island of the Isthmian League on 28 November, before being put up for sale the next month.[5] With no takers, he was a semi-regular at Vale Park for the rest of the season.
He joined Football Conference club Leigh RMI in for the start of the 2000–01 season. There, Twiss found himself at a more comfortable level and had a successful season at the club, scoring 15 goals in 34 games, becoming the club's top scorer.[6]
He joined Conference rivals Chester City for the 2001–02 season,[7] a far cry from his days with the Red Devils.[8]
He had a quiet season in 2002–03, but did make 36 appearances in all competitions. He did not play in either leg of the play-off semi-final defeat to Doncaster Rovers.
The 2003–04 season saw Chester promoted as champions, Twiss scoring six goals in 31 games. In January 2004 Morecambe offered Chester £5,000 for his services,[9] the deal did not go through.
Twiss remained in the Conference for the 2004–05 season, signing with Morecambe in May 2004,[10] after rejecting a new contract at Chester.[11] Performing well at Christie Park, Ian Rush, now manager of old club Chester, offered Morecambe £50,000 for his return, a bid which was rejected.[12] In March 2005 he was singled out for praise, due to his consistent scoring.[13]
Again a solid performer in the 2005–06 season, Morecambe crept into the play-offs, only to be defeated by Hereford United.
Twiss scored 11 goals in the 2006–07 season before damaging medial ligaments in February.[14][15] He did however make it back in time for the play-offs,[16] and was part of the Morecambe side that won the Conference Play-off Final, 2–1 on aggregate over Exeter City. A long-term contract signed in December 2006 would keep him signed to Morecambe until June 2010.[17]
He helped Morecambe to survive in their first season in League Two, as they finished 11th and reached the semi-final of the Football League Trophy. Bury aimed to achieve his signature in July 2008, but did not get far.[18] York City attempted to sign him in August 2008, but this ended as Twiss wanted to stay in the Lancashire area.[19] After gradually falling out of favour he was released by Morecambe in March 2010,[20] and was immediately snapped up by Conference North side Stalybridge Celtic, managed by ex-Morecambe boss Jim Harvey.[21] Twiss made his debut for Stalybridge in a 1–0 defeat against Southport.[22]
In June 2010, Twiss signed a one year deal with Conference club Altrincham.[23] After sixteen starts and sixteen substitute appearances in 2010–11, he signed a new contract the following summer, despite the club's relegation into the Conference North.[24]