Gareth Sheldon
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gareth Richard Sheldon | ||
| Date of birth | 31 January 1980 | ||
| Place of birth | Birmingham, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Polesworth | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1997–2002 | Scunthorpe United | 89 | (8) |
| 2002–2005 | Exeter City | 80 | (13) |
| 2005–2006 | Kidderminster Harriers | 34 | (2) |
| 2006–2007 | Hereford United | 8 | (1) |
| 2007 | Halesowen Town | 7 | (0) |
| 2007–2009 | Tamworth | 41 | (10) |
| 2009 | King's Lynn | 7 | (6) |
| 2009–2010 | Atherstone Town | 0 | (0) |
| 2010–2011 | Bolehall Swifts | 17 | (4) |
| 2011–2012 | Bardon Hill | ||
| 2012–2013 | Bolehall Swifts | 10 | (2) |
| 2013– | Polesworth | ||
| National team | |||
| 2004 | England C | 6 | (1) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22:00, 28 April 2013 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Gareth Richard Sheldon (born 31 January 1980 in Birmingham, England) is a professional footballer, currently playing for Midland Football Combination Division Two side Polesworth, where he plays as a striker.
Playing career
Scunthorpe United
Sheldon started his career in 1997 with Scunthorpe United, making his Football League debut on the final day of the 1997–98 season, in an away fixture against Shrewsbury Town, which Scunthorpe won 2–0.
During the 1998–99 season, he started to make his way into the first-team, but despite only making 11 league appearances, he found himself getting a chance, when coming on as a substitute in the second leg of a play-off semi-final match against Swansea City, who had taken a 1–0 lead into the second leg. With Scunthorpe leading the game 1–0 the game went into extra time. Sheldon made a dream start to the extra time period when he scored in the 92nd minute. Tony Bird equalised for Swansea, but four minutes later Sheldon scored his second goal, which proved to be the winner and booked Scunthorpe a place in the final. On 29 May, Sheldon started the game as Scunthorpe United took on Leyton Orient in the 1999 Football League Two play-off final. Scunthorpe won the match 1–0, as Alex Calvo-Garcia headed in from a Sheldon cross early in the game.
Following his brace in the second leg of the semi-final, Sheldon worked his way into the first team and became a regular by the 1999–2000 season in the Second Division. Scunthorpe's time in the third tier of English football was short-lived, as they finished 23rd in their first season and were relegated back to the Third Division.
Sheldon spent a further two seasons with Scunthorpe before leaving the club on 22 May 2002, after turning down an offer of a month-to-month contract. In his five seasons with the club, he made a total of 89 appearances and found the net on eight occasions.
Exeter City
On 22 May 2002, Sheldon signed a two-year deal with Third Division side Exeter City,[1] to team up with his former Scunthorpe team-mate John Cornforth, who had since taken over as Exeter manager. Cornforth saw Sheldon as an ideal replacement for Christian Roberts, who had joined Bristol City.
Sheldon and Exeter were relegated from the Third Division in his first full season with the club, and he spent a further two seasons with Exeter in the Football Conference. During his time with the club he made 80 appearances and scored 13 goals.
Kidderminster Harriers
Sheldon's career at Exeter had alerted the attentions of Kidderminster Harriers manager Stuart Watkiss following the club's relegation to the Conference, and on 13 July 2005 they moved to sign him on a free transfer.[2] The move failed to bring out the best in Sheldon, and following a disappointing season and the dismissal of Watkiss, he was released from his contract on 23 June 2006,[3] having made 34 appearances and scored two goals.
Hereford United
He was picked up on the free transfer the same day by newly promoted League Two side Hereford United. However, Sheldon was unable to secure a regular first-team place. He made eight league appearances for the club, scoring once against Mansfield Town,[4] and his contract was terminated by mutual consent on 27 February 2007.[5]
Halesowen Town
Sheldon then joined Halesowen Town on 12 March 2007 to help their promotion push towards the end of the season. He made his debut in the 1–0 win over Clevedon Town, he left the club at the end of the 2006–07 season, making seven appearances, but failing to find the net during this time.
Tamworth
On 16 May 2007, Sheldon signed for Tamworth of the Conference North division for the 2007–08 season. Playing in an advanced left-sided midfield position, he won player-of-the-year honours in an under-achieving side. Towards the end of the season, he was played in a central attacking position and his success here was carried over into Tamworth's encouraging start to the 2008–09 season.[6]
King's Lynn
Sheldon became a King's Lynn player on 7 June, re-joining his former Tamworth team mate Carl Heggs who was appointed manager a few weeks prior.
Atherstone Town
Sheldon joined Daren Fulford at Atherstone Town, but didn't play a single match due to a pulled ligament, and was eventually released by the club.
Bolehall Swifts
Following his recovery from his long-term injury, Sheldon joined former Adders manager Daren Fulford at his new club Bolehall Swifts.[7]
Career statistics
| Club performance | League | Cup | League Cup | Continental | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| England | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||||||
| 1997–98 | Scunthorpe United | Third Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1998–99 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 3 | ||
| 1999–00 | Second Division | 22 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 2 | |
| 2000–01 | Third Division | 39 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 2 | |
| 2001–02 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 2 | ||
| 2002–03 | Exeter City | Third Division | 19 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 2 |
| 2003–04 | Conference National | 34 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 7 | |
| 2004–05 | 27 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 4 | ||
| 2005–06 | Kidderminster Harriers | Conference National | 34 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 2 |
| 2006–07 | Hereford United | League Two | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 |
| 2007–08 | Tamworth | Conference North | ? | ? | ? | ? | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ? | ? |
| 2008–09 | ? | ? | ? | ? | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ? | ? | ||
| 2009–10 | King's Lynn | Northern Premier League | ? | ? | ? | ? | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ? | ? |
| 2009–10 | Atherstone Town | Southern Football League | ? | ? | ? | ? | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ? | ? |
| 2010–11 | Bolehall Swifts | Midland Football Combination Premier Division | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | England | 211 | 23 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 224 | 25 | |
Honours
Scunthorpe United
Winner
- 1998–99 League Two (Play-offs)
Tamworth
Winner
- 2008–09 Conference North
Individual
- Tamworth Player of the Year: 2007–08, 2008–09
Notes
- ↑ "Exeter sign winger". BBC News. 22 May 2002.
- ↑ "Harriers to sign Exeter's Sheldon". BBC News. 13 July 2005.
- ↑ "Seven let go in Harriers clearout". BBC News. 2 May 2006.
- ↑ "Hereford 1–3 Mansfield". BBC News. 13 January 2007.
- ↑ "Midfielder Sheldon leaves Bulls". BBC News. 27 February 2007.
- ↑ "Tamworth sign up veteran Taggart". BBC News. 16 May 2007.
- ↑ "Swifts make big statement of intent by signing star striker". ThisIsTamworth.co.uk. 15 July 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2010.