Place of birth Solihull, England Name Nick Townsend Career start 2012 200?–2013 Birmingham City Weight 91 kg | Number 13 Height 1.81 m Playing position Role Footballer | |
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Full name Nicholas Peter Townsend Date of birth (1994-11-01) 1 November 1994 (age 21) Current team Barnsley F.C. (#13 / Goalkeeper) | ||
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Nicholas Peter Townsend (born 1 November 1994) is an English footballer who plays for Barnsley. A goalkeeper, he began his career with Birmingham City, but never appeared for their first team. He spent time on loan with Conference North club Oxford City and Lincoln City of the Conference Premier before joining Barnsley, initially on loan, in 2015.
Contents
- Deadbeat nick townsend drum cam live 5 star bar 01 09 2015
- Nick townsend signs new contract
- Early life and career
- Professional football
- Lincoln City loans
- Return to Birmingham
- Barnsley
- Career statistics
- References
Nick townsend signs new contract
Early life and career
Townsend was born in Solihull, West Midlands, where he attended Alderbrook Secondary School. He and his father had season tickets at Birmingham City F.C., and the seven-year-old Townsend was at the 2002 play-off final at which the club were promoted to the Premier League for the first time. He joined Birmingham City's youth academy as an under-nine, and took up a scholarship in July 2011.
He was given a squad number in January 2013 after previous third-choice goalkeeper David Lucas left the club, and, with the sale of first-choice goalkeeper Jack Butland pending, he was an unused substitute as Colin Doyle started the FA Cup third round defeat against Leeds United. Butland signed for Stoke City, but was loaned back until the end of the season, so Townsend returned to third choice. He spent a spell on loan at Oxford City, for whom he went straight into the starting eleven and played nine Conference North matches and two in the Oxfordshire Senior Cup.
Professional football
At the end of the season, Townsend signed a one-year professional contract with Birmingham City, with the option of a further year. A fractured hand kept him out of the 2013–14 pre-season friendlies, but he was given a squad number and a place on the bench for the League Cup second-round match at Yeovil Town in late August after Darren Randolph sustained a broken nose and gashed hand during the previous match.
Lincoln City (loans)
After Lincoln City's regular goalkeeper, Paul Farman, was injured in February 2014, Townsend joined the Conference Premier club on a month's youth loan; he was recommended by fellow Birmingham youngster Charlee Adams who was already on loan there. He went straight into the starting eleven for the home match against Kidderminster Harriers, kept a clean sheet, his performance in his second game, a 1–1 draw with Chester, earned him a spot in The Non-League Paper's Team of the Week, and he kept his place for the remaining 12 matches of the season.
Ahead of the 2014–15 season, Birmingham took up their option on Townsend's contract and gave him squad number 30. After a trial in pre-season with Mansfield Town came to nothing, and no other League clubs showed any interest, Townsend reportedly told Birmingham that if he had to play at Conference level again, he would prefer to return to Lincoln City. He signed a season-long loan with that club ahead of their last pre-season fixture and according to manager Gary Simpson was being brought in as first choice. He did indeed go straight into the starting eleven, and kept his place for the first 17 Conference matches of the season. However, Birmingham had sacked manager Lee Clark just before Lincoln's first FA Cup tie of the season fell due, and were not prepared to let Townsend become cup-tied before a new manager was appointed. Lincoln had to recall Farman from loan at Boston United to play in the Cup, and when the Conference programme resumed, Townsend found himself on the bench. By January 2015, he had made no more appearances, so Birmingham recalled him.
Return to Birmingham
He played regularly for the development squad, and captained the team that won the Birmingham Senior Cup. After long-time backup goalkeeper Colin Doyle was released at the end of the season, Townsend signed a new two-year contract, with the option of a third year, and according to the club website, was expected to take up Doyle's role. When Tomasz Kuszczak and Adam Legzdins joined the club, Townsend again dropped to third choice, and in early August, he signed for League One club Barnsley on a youth loan until 1 November.
Barnsley
Townsend was on the bench for Barnsley's opening league match of the season, but made his debut three days later in the League Cup visit to Scunthorpe United. The score was 1–1 after 90 minutes and after extra time, so went to a penalty shootout. He signed a three-year contract with the club for an undisclosed fee on 1 September. Townsend made his Football League debut on 12 September at home to Swindon Town, after Adam Davies was dropped as one of several changes made by manager Lee Johnson. Lack of communication between Townsend and his defender Swindon the lead via an own goal, but both made up for their errors later in the game as Barnsley won 4–1.