Nathan Elder
FullnameNathan John Elder[1]
Birth date5 April 1985 (age 41)[2]
Birth placeHornchurch, England
Height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[2]
PositionForward
CurrentclubHythe Town (assistant)
Youthclubs 1Barns Sports
Clubs 1Hornchurch
Clubs 2Barking & East Ham United
Years 32003–2004
Clubs 3Aveley
Years 42004–2007
Clubs 4Billericay Town
Caps 426
Goals 436
Years 52007–2008
Clubs 5Brighton & Hove Albion
Caps 522
Goals 52
Years 62008–2009
Clubs 6Brentford
Caps 644
Goals 610
Years 72009–2011
Clubs 7Shrewsbury Town
Caps 719
Goals 72
Years 82010
Clubs 8→ AFC Wimbledon (loan)
Caps 818
Goals 83
Years 92011–2012
Clubs 9Hayes & Yeading United
Caps 96
Goals 90
Years 102011–2012
Clubs 10→ Hereford United (loan)
Caps 1014
Goals 102
Years 112012
Clubs 11Hereford United
Caps 1112
Goals 111
Years 122012–2013
Clubs 12Ebbsfleet United
Caps 1242
Goals 1215
Years 132013–2015
Clubs 13Dover Athletic
Caps 1350
Goals 139
Years 142014–2015
Clubs 14→ Hayes & Yeading United (loan)
Caps 145
Goals 141
Years 152015
Clubs 15→ Maidstone United (loan)
Years 162015
Clubs 16→ Tonbridge Angels (loan)
Caps 168
Goals 163
Years 172015–2019
Clubs 17Tonbridge Angels
Caps 17154
Goals 1762
Clubs 18Sittingbourne
Years 182018–2019
Caps 188
Goals 180
Manageryears 12019
Managerclubs 1Sittingbourne (player-assistant)
Manageryears 22019–
Managerclubs 2Hythe Town (assistant)

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.

Career

Early years

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

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

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

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

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

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

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Billericay Town2005–06[19]Isthmian League Premier Division34800—5[a]23910
2006–07[20]18600—1[a]0196
Total521400—625816
Brighton & Hove Albion2006–07[21]League One131———131
2007–08[22]9120003[b]0141
Total222200030272
Brentford2007–08[22]League Two174———174
2008–09[23]276211000307
Total44102110004711
Shrewsbury Town2009–10[24]League Two192101010222
AFC Wimbledon (loan)2009–10[24]Conference Premier183———183
Hayes & Yeading United2011–12[25]Conference Premier60———60
Hereford United2011–12[26]League Two26310——273
Ebbsfleet United2012–13[25]Conference Premier421521—004416
Dover Athletic2013–14[25]Conference South37732—7[c]24711
2014–15[25]Conference Premier10100—00101
Total47832—725712
Hayes & Yeading United2014–15[25]Conference South51———51
Hayes & Yeading United total111———111
Tonbridge Angels (loan)2014–15[27]Isthmian League Premier Division72———72
Tonbridge Angels2015–16[28]Isthmian League Premier Division402310—5[d]34626
2016–17[29]401542—7[e]15118
2017–18[30]391110—4[f]14412
Tonbridge Angels total1265162—16514858
Sittingbourne2018–19[31]Isthmian League South East Division8000—2[g]1101
Career total415109176203510469125
  1. ^ Appearances in Isthmian League Cup
  2. ^ Appearances in Football League Trophy
  3. ^ Three appearances, one goal in Conference South play-offs; four appearances, one goal in FA Trophy
  4. ^ Two appearances, two goals in Isthmian League Cup; two appearances, one goal in FA Trophy; one appearance in Isthmian League Premier Division play-offs
  5. ^ Four appearances, one goal in Isthmian League Cup; three appearances in FA Trophy
  6. ^ Two appearances, one goal in Isthmian League Cup; two appearances in FA Trophy
  7. ^ Appearances in FA Trophy

Honours

Brentford

Dover Athletic

References

  1. ^
  2. ^ Hugman, Barry J. (ed.) (2009). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2009–10. Mainstream Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84596-474-0.
  3. ^ BFC: Brentford FC Official Matchday Magazine versus Exeter City 11/04/09. London: shootthemoon. 2009. pp. 36–39.
  4. ^ "Brentford | Team | First Team Profiles | Nathan Elder". 17 April 2009. Archived from the original on 17 April 2009. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  5. ^ "History Boys: Nathan Elder". www.brentfordfc.com. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  6. ^
  7. ^ "Mills denies Elder intent". SkySports. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  8. ^ "Mills in clear over Elder clash". SkySports. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  9. ^ "Elder Signs". Shrewsbury Town F.C. 4 August 2008. Archived from the original on 23 February 2012. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
  10. ^ "Nathan joins the Dons". AFC Wimbledon. 15 January 2010. Archived 29 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 15 January 2010.
  11. ^ "AFC Wimbledon 2–0 Mansfield". BBC Sport. 16 January 2010. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
  12. ^ "Update". Shrewsbury Town F.C. 30 April 2010. Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  13. ^ "Ebbsfleet United sign Striker Nathan Elder". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  14. ^ "Nathan Elder – Angels First Team". Tonbridge Angels F.C.
  15. ^ "Nathan Elder has left Dover Athletic to join Tonbridge Angels". Dover Express. 5 May 2015. Archived from the original on 26 May 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  16. ^ "Elder to get games". Kent Online. 29 August 2018. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  17. ^ "New role for Elder". Kent Online. 12 February 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  18. ^ Nathan Elder leaves Sittingbourne to link up with new Hythe manager Steve Watt, kentonline.co.uk, 10 September 2019
  19. ^ "football.mitoo". football.mitoo.co.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  20. ^ "football.mitoo". football.mitoo.co.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  21. ^
  22. ^
  23. ^
  24. ^
  25. ^
  26. ^
  27. ^ "Nathan Elder Appearances". Tonbridge Angels FC. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  28. ^ "Nathan Elder Appearances". Tonbridge Angels FC. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  29. ^ "Nathan Elder Appearances". Tonbridge Angels FC. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  30. ^ "Nathan Elder Appearances". Tonbridge Angels FC. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  31. ^ "Sittingbourne | Appearances | Nathan Elder". Football Web Pages.co.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2019.