Nathan Abbey

Nathan Abbey
Personal information
Full name Nathanael Abbey
Date of birth (1978-07-11) 11 July 1978
Place of birth Islington, England
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Playing position Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 Arlesey Town (player-joint manager)
Youth career
–1995 Luton Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–2001 Luton Town 55 (0)
2001–2002 Chesterfield 46 (0)
2002–2003 Northampton Town 5 (0)
2003 Stevenage Borough 6 (0)
2003 St Albans City 1 (0)
2003 Hayes 1 (0)
2004–2006 Boston United 61 (0)
2005–2006 → Leyton Orient (loan) 0 (0)
2006 Bristol City 1 (0)
2006 Torquay United 24 (0)
2006–2007 Brentford 16 (0)
2007–2009 Milton Keynes Dons 1 (0)
2009–2010 Rushden & Diamonds 10 (0)
2010 Kettering Town 29 (0)
2011–2013 Arlesey Town ? (?)
2013–2014 St Neots Town ? (?)
2014–2015 Dunstable Town ? (?)
2015– Arlesey Town ? (?)
Teams managed
2011–2013 Arlesey Town (player-assistant manager)
2013–2014 St Neots Town (player-assistant manager)
2015– Arlesey Town (joint with Zema Abbey)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 12:15, 17 February 2015 (UTC).

Nathanael "Nathan" Abbey (born 11 July 1978) is a journeyman English professional football goalkeeper who is player-joint manager alongside his brother Zema at Arlesey Town.

Career

Abbey was born in Islington, London, and began his football career as a trainee with Luton Town, turning professional in August 1995. His first team debut came on 26 August 1997 in the League Cup first round second leg tie at home to Colchester United, a 1–1 draw taking the Hatters into the second round.[1] Later that season he had a spell on loan to Football Conference side Woking. He had to wait until January 1999 for this next first team appearance for Luton, playing in the 3–0 defeat at home to Walsall in the Football League Trophy. His league debut came the following month, on 6 February, playing in the 2–1 win away to Burnley.

He began the 1999–2000 season as Luton's first choice goalkeeper, previous first choice Kelvin Davis having been sold to Wimbledon to aid Luton's financial problems, and remained a regular throughout the season. In the summer of 2000, Luton manager Ricky Hill signed Mark Ovendale and chose him to start the season in place of Abbey. However, Abbey soon regained his place in the side,[2] though spent most of the season in and out of the side as first Lil Fuccillo and then Joe Kinnear took over as Luton manager.

With Luton relegated to the bottom flight of the Football League, Abbey was released by Luton[3] and joined Chesterfield in August 2001. He was an ever-present the following season and won the Chesterfield Player of the Year Award, but left after failing to agree a new contract.[4]

He joined Northampton Town in August 2002[5] and signed a contract extension until the end of the season,[6] but struggled to establish himself and was released at the end of the season having played only eight games. He returned to Luton on trial, but signed for Conference side Stevenage Borough in July 2003. He played six Conference games before returning to Luton Town in October 2003. He was released by Luton manager Mike Newell the following month, joining Macclesfield Town,[7] where he again failed to make the first team and was released, joining non-league Hayes in December 2003.[8] Abbey had similar experiences on moving to Ipswich Town later the same month[9] and Burnley in January 2004.

In July 2004, Abbey signed for Boston United, playing 61 league games over the next season and a half. He had a spell on loan with Leyton Orient in December 2005[10] and moved to Bristol City on a free transfer in February 2006[11] after being released by Boston at the end of January.[12] He made just one appearance for City, as a substitute for Adriano Basso in the 1–0 defeat away to Southend United on 6 May 2005, before being released at the end of the season.[13]

He signed for Torquay United in July 2006[14] and was soon installed as first choice goalkeeper by Torquay manager Ian Atkins.

Despite being ever-present in the Torquay goal from the start of the 2006–07 season, Abbey was only offered a one-month extension to his existing six-month contract and left the club at the end of his contract on 28 December 2006.[15] His last game for Torquay came on 26 December 2006 at home to Milton Keynes Dons, where Torquay manager Lubos Kubik decided to substitute him for debutant keeper Martin Horsell with seven minutes of the game remaining and Torquay 2–0 down.[16]

Abbey signed for Brentford on 29 December 2006 on an emergency loan as regular goalkeepers Stuart Nelson and Clark Masters were injured.[17] He signed a permanent contract on 26 January 2007.[18] He made sixteen appearances for the Bees before being released on 16 May 2007.[19] He signed for Milton Keynes shortly before the start of the 2007–08 season. He made his debut for MK Dons coming on as a sub against Cheltenham Town when regular keeper Willy Gueret was sent off.[20] After two seasons he was released by MK Dons.[21]

He joined Rushden & Diamonds making eleven appearances for the club. In January 2010 he joined Kettering Town on a non-contract basis.[22]

It was announced on 16 November 2010 that Abbey had been sacked from Kettering Town due to gross misconduct, having made 29 appearances for the club.[23]

He joined his brother Zema Abbey as player/assistant manager at Arlesey Town.[24]

In November 2013, Abbey moved with his brother to St Neots Town.[25] Abbey left the club at the same time as his brother a couple of months into the 2014-15 season, with Gary King assuming sole control of the first team. Abbey soon joined Dunstable Town in late 2014. In February 2015, he returned to Arlesey Town as player-joint manager alongside his brother.

Personal life

His brother, Zema, was also a professional footballer.

References

  1. ↑ "Nathan Abbey player profile". Luton Town F.C. Archived from the original on 21 May 2003. Retrieved 8 December 2008.
  2. ↑ "Hill explains why he axed Ovendale". BBC Sport. 19 October 2000. Retrieved 8 December 2008.
  3. ↑ "Clear-out begins at Luton". BBC Sport. 20 April 2001. Retrieved 8 December 2008.
  4. ↑ "Spireites capture Dawson". BBC Sport. 8 May 2002. Retrieved 8 December 2008.
  5. ↑ "Cobblers capture Abbey". BBC Sport. 5 August 2002. Retrieved 20 May 2007.
  6. ↑ "Abbey stays with Cobblers". BBC Sport. 7 October 2002. Retrieved 8 December 2008.
  7. ↑ "Abbey arrives at Moss Rose". BBC Sport. 15 November 2003. Retrieved 20 May 2007.
  8. ↑ "Hayes lose Abbey to Ipswich". NonLeagueDaily.com. 19 December 2003. Archived from the original on 2012-10-01. Retrieved 20 May 2007.
  9. ↑ "Ipswich sign Abbey". BBC Sport. 17 December 2003. Retrieved 20 May 2007.
  10. ↑ "Pilgrims ponder keeper loan swoop". BBC Sport. 21 December 2005. Retrieved 8 December 2008.
  11. ↑ "City recruit McCammon and Abbey". BBC Sport. 17 February 2006. Retrieved 20 May 2007.
  12. ↑ "Boston release Whelan and Abbey". BBC Sport. 31 January 2006. Retrieved 8 December 2008.
  13. ↑ "Johnson will release five players". BBC Sport. 8 May 2006. Retrieved 8 December 2008.
  14. ↑ "Abbey agrees terms with Torquay". BBC Sport. 27 July 2006. Retrieved 20 May 2007.
  15. ↑ "Goalkeeper Abbey leaves Torquay". BBC Sport. 28 December 2006. Retrieved 20 May 2007.
  16. ↑ "Torquay 0–2 MK Dons". BBC Sport. 26 December 2006. Retrieved 8 December 2008.
  17. ↑ "Goalkeeper Abbey joins Brentford". BBC Sport. 29 December 2006. Retrieved 20 May 2007.
  18. ↑ "Abbey signs contract at Brentford". BBC Sport. 26 January 2007. Retrieved 20 May 2007.
  19. ↑ "Bees sign Mackie after clear-out". BBC Sport. 16 May 2007. Retrieved 5 December 2008.
  20. ↑ "Dons sign Abbey, Navarro & Howell". BBC Sport. 12 August 2007. Retrieved 8 December 2008.
  21. ↑ James Chard (19 May 2009). "Six players go in Dons clear-out". MK Citizen. Retrieved 29 May 2009.
  22. ↑ "Player Up-date 15 January". Kettering Town F.C. 15 January 2010. Archived from the original on 2012-03-07. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
  23. ↑ "Kettering Town sack goalkeeper Nathan Abbey". BBC Sport. 16 November 2010. Retrieved 16 November 2010.
  24. ↑ "Arlesey Town – Players & Coaches – Nathan Abbey – Arlesey Town FC". Pitchero.com. 29 November 2012. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
  25. ↑ "Abbey brothers leave Arlesey Town for St Neots". The Comet. 13 November 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
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