Nathan Elder
Nathan John Elder (born 5 April 1985) is an English former professional footballer who is assistant manager of Hythe Town. He played in the Football League for Brighton & Hove Albion, Brentford, Shrewsbury Town and Hereford United.
| Elder playing for Tonbridge Angels in 2015 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nathan John Elder[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 5 April 1985[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Hornchurch, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Hythe Town (assistant) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Barns Sports | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| Hornchurch | |||
| Barking & East Ham United | |||
| 2003–2004 | Aveley | ||
| 2004–2007 | Billericay Town | 26 | (36) |
| 2007–2008 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 22 | (2) |
| 2008–2009 | Brentford | 44 | (10) |
| 2009–2011 | Shrewsbury Town | 19 | (2) |
| 2010 | → AFC Wimbledon (loan) | 18 | (3) |
| 2011–2012 | Hayes & Yeading United | 6 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | → Hereford United (loan) | 14 | (2) |
| 2012 | Hereford United | 12 | (1) |
| 2012–2013 | Ebbsfleet United | 42 | (15) |
| 2013–2015 | Dover Athletic | 50 | (9) |
| 2014–2015 | → Hayes & Yeading United (loan) | 5 | (1) |
| 2015 | → Maidstone United (loan) | ||
| 2015 | → Tonbridge Angels (loan) | 8 | (3) |
| 2015–2019 | Tonbridge Angels | 154 | (62) |
| 2018–2019 | Sittingbourne | 8 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2019 | Sittingbourne (player-assistant) | ||
| 2019– | Hythe Town (assistant) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Career edit
Early years edit
Elder was born in Hornchurch. He first played football while attending Langtons Infant School in his hometown Hornchurch, starting out as a defender.[3] His first club was Sunday league side Barns Sports, before moving up to Isthmian League Division Three side Hornchurch.[3] Moves up through the echelons of the Isthmian League to Barking & East Ham United, Aveley and Billericay Town followed.[3] While he appeared sparingly for Billericay Town between 2004 and 2007, he scored prolifically, scoring 36 goals in 26 league appearances for the club.[4]
Brighton & Hove Albion edit
Elder joined Brighton & Hove Albion on 1 January 2007, after the "Seagulls" paid his former club Billericay Town £10,000 after being impressed with his talent during a match for Isthmian League Billericay against non-League rivals Worthing.[3]
At Brighton, Elder found first-team opportunities under Dean Wilkins very difficult.[5] During his time there he only started three games, two in League One and one in the Football League Trophy, scoring just twice for the club in total.[6]
Brentford edit
On 31 January 2008, Elder joined Brentford for £35,000.[5] He scored an own goal on his debut for Brentford against Mansfield Town after just 15 minutes (though the goal was later credited to Mansfield player Michael Boulding), but scored the winner as Brentford eventually won 3–2.[5] Elder won a 2008–09 League Two championship medal with the Bees,[5] but his season was ended early after suffering a double fracture of the cheekbone, a fractured eye socket, severe trauma to the eyeball and extensive bleeding in and around the eye in a "horror clash" with Rotherham United's Pablo Mills in a match on 7 March 2009.[7] In the days following the incident, Elder had no sight in his left eye and Brentford manager Andy Scott called for justice to be done.[7] On 12 March, it was reported that the FA would be unable to take disciplinary action against Mills.[8] Elder recovered sufficiently to be included in the squad for the final match of the season against Luton Town, but he remained an unused substitute and would not play again for the club.[5] He revealed in April 2009 that the vision in his left eye would never be 100% again.[3]
Shrewsbury Town edit
On 3 August 2009 he signed for Shrewsbury Town on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee. However Elder was then transfer listed on 9 November 2009, with manager Paul Simpson unhappy with a performance in the 1–0 FA Cup loss at home to non-League club Staines Town.[9]
Return to non-League football edit
On 15 January 2010, Elder joined Conference Premier club AFC Wimbledon on loan until the end of the 2009–10 season.[10] The day after he signed, Elder scored his debut goal in AFC Wimbledon's 2–0 home win against Mansfield Town[11] and picked up the man of the match award. He made a total of 18 appearances for the Dons and scored three goals. Shortly before he was due to return to Shrewsbury, Elder picked up an injury in a game at Tamworth. It was later discovered that he had suffered a tear of his anterior cruciate ligament and would be out for at least six months.[12] It was announced on 24 June 2011 that he was to be released.
After being released by Shrewsbury, Elder was signed by Conference Premier side Hayes & Yeading United.
On 30 September, Elder signed on a monthlong loan deal with League Two side Hereford United before permanently signing on 6 January 2012. His first goal for the club was a glancing header in the 66th minute against Barnet, this would effectively be the winner as Hereford won the match 1–0.
On 6 July 2012, he was signed by Ebbsfleet United.[13]
On 17 June 2013, Elder was signed by Dover Athletic on a free transfer. On 10 May 2014, Elder scored the only goal of the game in Dover's 1–0 playoff final win over former club Ebbsfleet United to seal Dover's return to the Conference Premier for the first time since 2002.
Having spent much of the previous season out on loan, including finishing the season with Tonbridge Angels,[14] Elder joined the club permanently following his release from Dover in May 2015.[15]
Elder joined Isthmian League South East Division club Sittingbourne as player-coach in August 2018 and was promoted into the role of assistant manager in February 2019.[16][17]
In September 2019, Elder left to Sittingbourne to link up with his former Maidstone team-mate Steve Watt, as his assistant manager at Hythe Town.[18]
Personal life edit
Elder attended Langtons Infant School and Emerson Park Comprehensive.[3] He stated that Andy Cole was the player he modelled himself on.[3] Prior to becoming a professional footballer, he worked as an instructor in a gym.[3] After leaving professional football, he worked in recruitment at Leadenhall Market.[5]
Career statistics edit
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Billericay Town | 2005–06[19] | Isthmian League Premier Division | 34 | 8 | 0 | 0 | — | 5[a] | 2 | 39 | 10 | |
| 2006–07[20] | 18 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | 1[a] | 0 | 19 | 6 | |||
| Total | 52 | 14 | 0 | 0 | — | 6 | 2 | 58 | 16 | |||
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 2006–07[21] | League One | 13 | 1 | — | — | — | 13 | 1 | |||
| 2007–08[22] | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[b] | 0 | 14 | 1 | ||
| Total | 22 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 27 | 2 | ||
| Brentford | 2007–08[22] | League Two | 17 | 4 | — | — | — | 17 | 4 | |||
| 2008–09[23] | 27 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 7 | ||
| Total | 44 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 11 | ||
| Shrewsbury Town | 2009–10[24] | League Two | 19 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 2 |
| AFC Wimbledon (loan) | 2009–10[24] | Conference Premier | 18 | 3 | — | — | — | 18 | 3 | |||
| Hayes & Yeading United | 2011–12[25] | Conference Premier | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | 6 | 0 | |||
| Hereford United | 2011–12[26] | League Two | 26 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 3 | ||
| Ebbsfleet United | 2012–13[25] | Conference Premier | 42 | 15 | 2 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | 44 | 16 | |
| Dover Athletic | 2013–14[25] | Conference South | 37 | 7 | 3 | 2 | — | 7[c] | 2 | 47 | 11 | |
| 2014–15[25] | Conference Premier | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | ||
| Total | 47 | 8 | 3 | 2 | — | 7 | 2 | 57 | 12 | |||
| Hayes & Yeading United | 2014–15[25] | Conference South | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | 5 | 1 | |||
| Hayes & Yeading United total | 11 | 1 | — | — | — | 11 | 1 | |||||
| Tonbridge Angels (loan) | 2014–15[27] | Isthmian League Premier Division | 7 | 2 | — | — | — | 7 | 2 | |||
| Tonbridge Angels | 2015–16[28] | Isthmian League Premier Division | 40 | 23 | 1 | 0 | — | 5[d] | 3 | 46 | 26 | |
| 2016–17[29] | 40 | 15 | 4 | 2 | — | 7[e] | 1 | 51 | 18 | |||
| 2017–18[30] | 39 | 11 | 1 | 0 | — | 4[f] | 1 | 44 | 12 | |||
| Tonbridge Angels total | 126 | 51 | 6 | 2 | — | 16 | 5 | 148 | 58 | |||
| Sittingbourne | 2018–19[31] | Isthmian League South East Division | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2[g] | 1 | 10 | 1 | |
| Career total | 415 | 109 | 17 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 10 | 469 | 125 | ||
- ^ a b Appearances in Isthmian League Cup
- ^ Appearances in Football League Trophy
- ^ Three appearances, one goal in Conference South play-offs; four appearances, one goal in FA Trophy
- ^ Two appearances, two goals in Isthmian League Cup; two appearances, one goal in FA Trophy; one appearance in Isthmian League Premier Division play-offs
- ^ Four appearances, one goal in Isthmian League Cup; three appearances in FA Trophy
- ^ Two appearances, one goal in Isthmian League Cup; two appearances in FA Trophy
- ^ Appearances in FA Trophy
Honours edit
- Brentford
Dover Athletic
- Conference South play-offs: 2014[25]
References edit
- ^ "Nathan Elder". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
- ^ a b Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2009). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2009–10. Mainstream Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84596-474-0.
- ^ a b c d e f g h BFC: Brentford FC Official Matchday Magazine versus Exeter City 11/04/09. London: shootthemoon. 2009. pp. 36–39.
- ^ . 17 April 2009. Archived from the original on 17 April 2009. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g "History Boys: Nathan Elder". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
- ^ Nathan Elder at Soccerbase
- ^ a b "Mills denies Elder intent". SkySports. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
- ^ "Mills in clear over Elder clash". SkySports. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
- ^ . Shrewsbury Town F.C. 4 August 2008. Archived from the original on 23 February 2012. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
- ^ . AFC Wimbledon. 15 January 2010. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2010.
- ^ "AFC Wimbledon 2–0 Mansfield". BBC Sport. 16 January 2010. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
- ^ . Shrewsbury Town F.C. 30 April 2010. Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
- ^ "Ebbsfleet United sign Striker Nathan Elder". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
- ^ "Nathan Elder – Angels First Team". Tonbridge Angels F.C.
- ^ . Dover Express. 5 May 2015. Archived from the original on 26 May 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
- ^ "Elder to get games". Kent Online. 29 August 2018. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
- ^ "New role for Elder". Kent Online. 12 February 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
- ^ Nathan Elder leaves Sittingbourne to link up with new Hythe manager Steve Watt, kentonline.co.uk, 10 September 2019
- ^ "football.mitoo". football.mitoo.co.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
- ^ "football.mitoo". football.mitoo.co.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
- ^ "Games played by Nathan Elder in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
- ^ a b "Games played by Nathan Elder in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
- ^ "Games played by Nathan Elder in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
- ^ a b "Games played by Nathan Elder in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f Nathan Elder at Soccerway. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
- ^ "Games played by Nathan Elder in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
- ^ "Nathan Elder Appearances". Tonbridge Angels FC. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
- ^ "Nathan Elder Appearances". Tonbridge Angels FC. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
- ^ "Nathan Elder Appearances". Tonbridge Angels FC. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
- ^ "Nathan Elder Appearances". Tonbridge Angels FC. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
- ^ "Sittingbourne | Appearances | Nathan Elder". Football Web Pages.co.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
External links edit
- Nathan Elder at Soccerbase