Matthew Nelson (soccer)

Matthew Nelson

Personal information
Full name	Matthew Nelson
Date of birth	November 12, 1977 (1977-11-12) (age 34)
Place of birth	Tampa, FL, United States
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Club information
Current club	free agent
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2000	Cape Cod Crusaders	12	(0)
2000	Boston Bulldogs	3	(0)
2000-2001	Kilkenny City A.F.C.	16	(0)
2002	South Jersey Barons	19	(0)
2003-2006	Virginia Beach Mariners	90	(0)
2007-	Harrisburg City Islanders	18	(0)
2007	→ Vancouver Whitecaps (loan)	3	(0)
2008	Crystal Palace Baltimore	6	(0)
2008-	Harrisburg City Islanders	0	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23 July 2008. † Appearances (Goals).

Matthew Nelson (born November 12, 1977 in Tampa, Florida) is a goalkeeper most recently on the books of USL Second Division side Harrisburg City Islanders.

Playing career

He started off playing with Cape Cod Crusaders, and South Jersey Barons of the USL Premier Development League. In 2003 he signed for the Virginia Beach Mariners where he was a key performer for the club, playing their until 2006. During his four seasons in Virginia Beach, he recorded a 32-38-18 record and 23 shutouts.

In 2007 he signed with Harrisburg City Islanders of the USL Second Division, where he enjoyed a very successful regular season with Harrisburg. Recording a league-leading 10 shutouts and a 10-4-4 record, and also recorded the league’s second best goals-against-average at 0.611 and was selected to the USL-2 All-League Second Team. And helped Harrisburg win the USL Second Division Championship.

On July 27, 2007 the Vancouver Whitecaps acquired him on loan for the remainder of the season, where he played the final three games for Vancouver. The Whitecaps had talks with Nelson in regards to the 2008 season, but Nelson chose not to return to Vancouver.^[1]

Nelson signed for Crystal Palace Baltimore in the USL Second Division on April 7, 2008. In the second round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Nelson saved three penalties in a penalty shoot out against his former team, the Islanders, to send Palace through to the next round against MLS side New York Red Bulls. Against the Red Bulls Nelson kept a clean sheet and made seven saves which helped send Palace through to the quarter finals of the competition against the New England Revolution. Palace released Nelson from his contract on July 18, 2008 and he was reacquired by the Harrisburg City Islanders for the remainder of the 2008 season.

Notes

1. ^ "New 'Caps goalie", 24 Hours Vancouver, January 24, 2008; retrieved January 24, 2008.

Persondata
Name	Nelson, Matthew
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	November 12, 1977
Place of birth	Tampa, FL, United States
Date of death
Place of death